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PUSS-IN-BOOTS, Jr., and 
Tom Thumb V -'V 
By DAVID CORY 


Harper & Brothers 

Established 1817 








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PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., 
AND TOM THUMB 




Books by 

DAVID CORY 

PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND THE GOOD GRAY HORSE 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND TOM THUMB 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., AND OLD MOTHER GOOSE 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr., IN NEW MOTHER GOOSE LAND 
THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 
FURTHER ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr.. IN FAIRYLAND 
TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 


HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK 
[Established 1817 ] 



TWILIGHT TALES , •• 

Harper & Brothers, Publishers 


Fuss inBootsJc 

and Tom Thumb 

___ f/\ a 6 \ iL. 

• by David Cory • 




Puss in Boors, Jr., and Tom Thumb 


Copyright, 1921, by Harper & Brothers 
Printed in the United States of America 
G-V 


Au'G 2/ i',21 (§)CI.A622571 


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CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Fairy Queen 1 

Rapunzel 4 

Dame Gothel 7 

The Blind Prince .... 10 

The Magic Tears 12 

The Three Bears 15 

Poor Cock Robin 18 

Ding, Dong! 21 

The Ferocious Snail .... 24 

Mary’s Little Lamb 26 

A Long Vacation 29 

The Robber Kitten .... 32 

Hold Up Your Hands! 34 

Watchful Waiting 36 

The Robber Dog 38 

“Fll Nevermore Be Bad” 41 

Mr. Frog . . 44 

Mrs. Mousey 46 

The Serenade 49 

The Wedding 51 

Pumpkin House 54 

Disappointment 57 

Gingerbread House 60 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The End of the Wicked Witch 62 

The Knave of Tarts 65 

“Sailors Bold” 68 

The Christmas Tree 70 

Christmas Day in the Morning 73 

A Moony Old Cat 75 

A Wig for Mr. Pig 78 

The House That Jack Built 81 

A High Toss 84 

The Maiden All Forlorn 84 

One Thing Depends on Another 90 

Sea Berries 92 

A Crooked Sixpence 95 

The Obstinate Pig 98 

More Trouble 101 

The Wisp of Hay 105 

The Four-in-hand 109 

The Monstrous Crow * . . . 112 

The Blackbird 116 

An Empty Nest 118 

Stolen Barley 120 

Black Sheep 123 

A Good Guess 126 

Another Story 129 

Just One More Story 132 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., 
AND TOM THUMB 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., 
AND TOM THUMB 


THE FAIRY QUEEN 

C LIMB up on my shoulder,” commanded 
Puss, Junior, after freeing Tom Thumb 
from the mousetrap, as related in the book 
called Further Adventures of Puss in Boots , 
Junior. “We will go forth in search of new 
adventures.” 

King Arthur and his court bade them farewell. 
Many of the retainers could hardly restrain their 
laughter, for it was indeed a comical sight to see 
Tom Thumb perched on Puss, Junior’s, shoul- 
ders. As they passed through the great gates 
Puss was handed a beautiful sword. 

“The good King Arthur bade me give it to 
you,” cried the retainer. 

“Convey my thanks to His Majesty,” replied 
Puss, and continued on his way. 

“Where are we going, Puss, Junior?” inquired 
Tom Thumb, after they had gone some distance. 

“I do not know,” replied Puss, Junior. “But 
as the road is hot and dusty, let us turn into 
yonder forest.” 


l 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


They had no sooner entered than the strains 
of sweet music came down the breeze. Pres- 
ently numerous fairies appeared, and one, more 
beautiful than the rest, waved her little wand 
and cried: 

“What ho! Sir Cat and my gallant Tom 
Thumb! Why do you invade my forest realm?” 

“Pardon, O most gracious fairy queen,” 
cried Puss. “I have but lately rescued Tom 
Thumb from a mousetrap prison and am taking 
him with me as a comrade in arms on my journey 
of adventure. If I am trespassing in your royal 
domain I crave Your Majesty’s pardon.” 

“It is granted, my good Sir Cat,” replied the 
fairy queen, graciously, “and since you are so 
polite, let me offer you my aid, for this is an en- 
chanted forest, and if you are set upon traveling 
through it it will be well for you to listen to what 
I have to say.” While she was speaking, her 
many subjects gathered about her, and Puss sat 
down on a mossy spot, at* the same time carefully 
placing Tom Thumb at his side. 

“Listen well,” cried the fairy queen, when 
everyone was seated. “Listen, my two brave 
travelers. Not far from here stands a tall tower, 
in which a wicked witch has imprisoned a lovely 
maiden. 

“Every evening she lets down her beautiful 

hair, which is wonderfully long and as fine as 

spun gold. Indeed, it looks much like a golden 

2 


THE FAIRY QUEEN 


ladder reaching from her small tower window to 
the ground beneath.” 

“Do you wish us to climb this beautiful lad- 
der?” asked Puss and Tom Thumb in the same 
breath. 

“Cats are good climbers,” laughed the fairy 
queen. 

“And so are boys,” cried Tom Thumb. 
“When I was home there wasn’t an apple tree in 
the orchard I couldn’t climb.” 

“Now, this is what I would advise,” said the 
queen, after there was again silence. “Hide 
yourselves near the tower so that you may see 
this wonderful sight.” 

“That we will,” cried Puss, picking up Tom 
and bowing farewell to the fairy queen and her 
little subjects, 


RAPUNZEL 


W HEN Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb 
reached the tower in the enchanted forest 
they hid themselves in a thicket close by, and 
pretty soon they heard a voice crying: 

‘ ‘ Rapunzel , Rapunzel , 

Let down thy hair.” 

Through the thicket Puss could see an old 
woman with a high, peaked hat standing at the 
foot of the tower. 

“Tom,” he whispered, “do you see the ladder 
of beautiful golden hair?” 

“Not yet,” replied Tom Thumb. 

And then the old woman called out again : 

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 

Let down thy hair.” 

“The wicked witch is angry,” whispered Tom. 

Perhaps she would have flown into a dreadful 

rage if, all of a sudden, Rapunzel’s braided tresses 

hadn’t dropped at her feet. Then, quick as a 

wink, she climbed up the golden ladder. 

“Let’s wait here until she comes down,” said 

Puss. “I am not fond of witches, nor would I 

like to be suddenly changed into a human.” 

4 


RAPUNZEL 


“Nor would I like to be changed into an 
animal,” cried little Tom Thumb. “We had 
better stay here until she goes away.” 

At last they saw her slowly climbing down the 
golden ladder. 

“Now draw up thy tresses, Rapunzel,” she 



called out, when she reached the foot of the 
towers, and there she stayed until Rapunzel had 
obeyed her command. 

“Now, my brave Tom Thumb,” cried Puss, as 
soon as the wicked enchantress had disappeared 
in the forest, “let us see what we can do.” And 

5 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


together they ran toward the tower, and then 
Tom Thumb called out, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 
let down thy hair,” and at once the beautiful 
hair fell down. So Puss and Tom Thumb 
climbed up as fast as possible, and when they had 
reached the window sill they jumped into the 
room. 

Rapunzel asked, in a trembling voice: “Who 
are you? And what brings you here?” 

“To set you free," cried Puss and Tom Thumb 
in the same breath. But before she had time to 
answer, the voice of the enchantress was heard 
calling, “Rapunzel, let down thy hair.” 

“We are lost,” cried Tom Thumb. 

“Not while I have my trusty ‘sword, ” cried 
Puss, bravely. 

“Your sword, dear, brave Puss, Junior, is use- 
less against the enchantress,” said Rapunzel. 
“Hide yourselves!” 

Jumping into the closet, they closed the door 
just in time, for Rapunzel had already let down 
her hair, and in a moment the wicked enchantress 
stepped into the room. 


DAME GOTHEL 


fT was black as ink inside the closet and Tom 
* Thumb pressed close to Puss, Junior. And, 
oh, dear me! how their hearts beat when they 
heard the wicked enchantress. 

Then the sweet, low voice of Rapunzel said: 
“Tell me, Dame Gothel, how it happens you are 
so much heavier for me to draw up than the king’s 
son? 

At this the wicked enchantress grew dreadfully 
angry. 

“Thou wicked child!” she screamed. “What 
do I hear thee say? I thought I had separated 
thee from all the world, and yet thou hast de- 
ceived me.” Clutching Rapunzel’s beautiful 
tresses in her left hand, with her right she cut 
them off with a long pair of shears. 

“Come with me, wicked one.” And she 
forced the trembling Rapunzel to climb down 
the ladder of golden tresses. 

As soon as possible Puss opened the closet door, 
and ran to the window just in time to see the 
wicked enchantress leading poor Rapunzel into 
the forest. 

“Quick!” cried Puss. “Let us follow.” And 

grasping hold of the beautiful golden tresses 
2 7 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


which were tied to a hook in the window sill, 
he slid down to the ground, and then he and 
Tom Thumb set out in the direction which the 
enchantress had taken, and by and by they came 
across a little silk handkerchief. 

“Rapunzel has dropped it to show us the way,” 



Puss cried. “ She knew that we would not desert 
her.” 

“If she had been as clever in not telling her 
secret to the old enchantress as she has been in 
giving us this clew she would not now be in 
trouble,” replied Tom Thumb, with a wise 
shake of his small head. 


8 



DAME GOTHEL 


“It will take all the wisdom you have to get 
the best of the wicked enchantress,” replied Puss, 
“so see that you keep a sharp lookout or you 
may find yourself in the tower. It would take a 
hundred years for your red hair to grow long 
enough to reach the ground!” 

Well, after a while they came across a tiny 
silk bag. 

“Rapunzel has again shown us the way,” cried 
Tom Thumb, picking it up. “ ’Twill make me 
a fine little knapsack in which to carry my 
things.” And he threw the little bag over his 
shoulder with a grunt of satisfaction. 

For several days they kept up their search, 
but came across no further sign from Rapunzel. 
“I fear we have lost the trail,” said Puss, sadly, 
sitting down beneath a tree to rest. 


I 


THE BLIND PRINCE 

F OR some time Puss, Junior, and Tom 
Thumb sat beneath the tree pondering how 
to rescue Rapunzel from the enchantress. And 
then, all of a sudden, they saw a handsome young 
prince. 

“He walks as though he were blind,” whispered 
Puss. 

“Did I hear a voice?” cried the prince, stop- 
ping to listen. “I am blind; therefore help me, 
for I can do no harm were I so inclined.” 

“My gracious prince,” cried Puss, stepping 
forward and taking the blind prince by the 
hand, “I am Puss in Boots, Junior, and with me, 
as my comrade in arms, is Tom Thumb.” 

“ Tis my misfortune that I cannot see you 
both, for I have often heard of you in rhyme and 
story,” replied the prince, sitting down and pass- 
ing his hand over his poor, sightless eyes. 

“We are now seeking the unfortunate Rapun- 
zel,” said Puss, Junior. 

“What!” exclaimed the blind prince, jumping 
to his feet. “I, too, would find her, for she is 
dearer to me than life.” 

At once he commenced to tell Puss and Tom 
Thumb how he had visited Rapunzel every 


THE BLIND PRINCE 


evening by climbing up her beautiful golden hair 
until he reached her little window, and how 
she was weaving a silken ladder with the skeins 
of silk which he had brought her. 

“And when it was woven and ready, ” con- 
tinued the blind prince, “we were to climb down 
together and be married.” 

“But how did you come to lose your eye- 
sight?” asked Tom Thumb. 

“Alas!” answered the blind prince, “one 
evening when I had called to Rapunzel to let 
down her hair I found, on entering her chamber, 
not my beautiful Rapunzel, but an enchantress, 
who mocked me, saying she had taken my 
beloved far away. Then in my despair I leaped 
from the window, falling into a thicket of thorns 
which pierced my eyes.” 

“We will not rest until we find the beautiful 
Rapunzel,” cried Puss. “Join us, dear prince.” 

“ ‘Faint heart ne’er won fair lady,’ ” cried Tom 
Thumb. “I, too, will help you, my dear 
prince.” 

“And I pledge myself to find her!” cried Puss. 

“You are a brave pair,” said the blind prince. 
“Let us set out at once, for while there is life 
there is hope, and no good will come of mourning 
over our misfortunes. Only the brave deserve 
the fair!” 


THE MAGIC TEARS 


F OR a long time Puss and his companions 
continued their journey, and by and by they 
came to the edge of the forest, where a great 
desert stretched out before them as far as the 
eye could reach. 

The poor blind prince, although he could not 
see the burning sands, felt the hot wind that blew 
toward him. “Where are we? ” he asked. 

“On the edge of a desert, Your Highness,” 
replied Puss, Junior. 

The prince made no reply, but stood for some 
time in deep thought. 

Tom Thumb, who had wandered off by him- 
self, suddenly shouted: “I see three camels! 
Let us wait. Perhaps they will carry us across 
this sandy sea, for they are the ships of the 
desert.” 

Well, by and by the three camels stopped and 

knelt down on the sand. So Puss, Junior, helped 

the blind prince to mount, for, strange to say, 

each animal was saddled after the fashion of the 

desert. Poor little Tom Thumb had great 

trouble in mounting his beast, for he could 

hardly see over its hoof, to say nothing of its 

great body. But Puss lifted him up and then 

12 


THE MAGIC TEARS 


Tom took hold of a strap and drew himself onto 
the saddle. Then, as soon as Puss was ready, 
the camels rose to their feet and set off across 
the desert at a good pace. 

“Hurrah! I never was on a camel before!” 
cried Tom Thumb. “I once rode a beautiful 



butterfly. But I never thought I would ride one 
of these ships of the desert.” 

Well, by and by they came to a bubbling 
spring and green grass when, all of a sudden, to 
their surprise a maiden came toward them. On 
seeing the prince she gave a loud cry and ran 

forward. The prince gave a shout of joy. 

13 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Rapunzel! Rapunzel!” And the next minute 
she was folded in his arms. And Rapunzel was 
so happy at finding her prince she cried for very 
joy, and when her tears touched his blind eyes 
they grew clear again, and he could see as well as 
ever. Placing her upon his camel, he invited 
Puss and Tom to go with him to his castle, which 
they reached safely that very evening. 


THE THREE BEARS 


M Y dear Tom,” said Puss, Junior, one day 
toward evening. “I see a large forest in 
the distance, and, as our road leads through it, 
I think it is too late for us to go farther. What 
have you to say?” 

“Nothing, my dear Puss, Junior,” replied 
Tom Thumb. “I’m sure I don’t know what to 
do, unless we turn about.” 

“That will never do,” said Puss. “Let’s go 
ahead and chance it. I have my trusty sword, 
and you can hide in my pocket if danger 
threatens.” 

“I hide in no one’s pocket!” replied Tom 
Thumb. “I will fight if needs be, but never 
hide!” 

“Bravely said!” cried Puss, Junior. And then 
he and Tom entered the forest. But they had 
only gone a little way when they saw a great 
big bear, followed by a middling-sized bear and 
a little, teeny, tiny bear. 

“They must be the three bears whom Goldi- 
locks called on,” whispered Tom Thumb. 

“Let’s creep after them,” said Puss, Junior. 
“I’d like to see their queer little house, for I love 

the fairy story of Goldilocks.” 

15 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


Well, after a while the bears came to their 
house, and when they were all inside Puss and 
Tom climbed up and looked in through the 
window. There sat the three bears at the supper 
table. All of a sudden the great big bear, who 
had just taken up his great big spoon to taste 



his soup, saw Puss. And, oh dear me! I don’t 
know what would have happened if Puss hadn’t 
called out in a deep voice, “Who has been 
tasting my soup?” just as the great big bear 
had done when he found out that little Goldi- 
locks had tasted it. And then the great big 

bear let his spoon drop with a bang, and after 

16 


THE THREE BEARS 

that he laughed till the tears rolled down his 
cheeks. 

“So you have read about us?” he said. 

“Yes, Your Bear Highness,” replied Puss, 
Junior, “and now I would have the greater 
pleasure of making your acquaintance.” 

“Come in, then,” said the great big bear. 
“As you are on the window sill, just jump in.” 

Well, pretty soon, Tom Thumb and the little, 
teeny, tiny bear took a great fancy to each 
other, and they had a fine time playing together, 
but the middling-sized bear had to play all by 
himself, for the great big bear took a great big 
fancy to Puss in Boots, Junior, as everybody 
does who reads these stories. 


POOR COCK ROBIN 


A LITTLE while after Puss and Tom Thumb 
had left the house of the three bears they 
heard the sound of a bell, and by and by, as they 
went farther into the wood, the sound grew 
* louder and louder. And just then Puss, Junior, 
saw a sparrow in a tree. He sat very still, 
holding a bow in one claw and an arrow in the 
other. So Puss said: 

“Who killed cock robin ?” 

“I,” said the sparrow, 

“With my bow and arrow 
I killed cock robin.” 

“How did you know cock robin was killed?” 
asked Tom Thumb. 

“I didn’t,” replied Puss. “But when I saw 
the bow and arrow in the claws of that sparrow 
I suspected him. Sparrows are always fighting 
robins, you know.” 

All this time the bell kept on tolling. And, oh 
dear me! it was a mournful sound. 

“Who saw him die?” asked Tom Thumb. 

“I,” said the fly, 

“With my little eye 
I saw him die.” 

18 


POOR COCK ROBIN 


And then the little fly flew over to a bush 
close to a brook and looked into the sparkling 
water. And just then a pretty fish, with a little 
dish in its mouth, swam up close to the edge of 
the ferns and water grasses. 



“Poor cock robin!” said Puss, Junior, to the 
little fish. “Who caught his blood?” 

“Who caught his blood?” 

“I,” said the fish, 

“With my little dish, 

I caught his blood.” 

“IPs very sad,” whispered Tom Thumb, as he 

and Puss turned away from the brook and con- 

19 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


tinued their way through the wood. “All the 
ittle people in the forest are doing something to 
show how sorry they are.” 

“I wonder who’ll make his shroud?” said 
Puss, Junior. 

All of a sudden a big black beetle crawled out 
from under a log, carrying a large white cloth. 

“Who’ll make his shroud?” 

“Who'll make his shroud?” 

“I,” said the beetle, 

“With my thread and needle 
I’ll make his shroud.” 

And after that he sat down and took out his 
needle and thread and began to work on the 
shroud for poor cock robin. 


DING, DONG! 




D ING, dong! Ding, dong!” tolled the bell 
for poor cock robin’s funeral. The cruel 
sparrow, with his bow and arrow, had killed the 
sweetest bird in the whole forest. Puss, Junior, 
wiped the tears from his eyes and said: 

“Who'll dig his grave?” 

“I,” said the owl, 

“With my spade and shovel 
I’ll dig his grave.” 

And the great gray owl, who was to dig the 
grave for poor cock robin, blinked in the morning 
light as he looked at Tom Thumb, who stood 
quietly by the side of Puss, Junior, and just 
then a bird dressed in long black feathers flew by. 
“Who’ll be the parson?” asked Tom Thumb. 

“I,” said the rook, 

“With my little book 
I’ll be the parson.” 

And after that he put on his spectacles and 

opened his little black book. 

And pretty soon, with a soft flutter of wings, 

the lark flew down and stood near by. 

“Who’ll be the clerk?” asked Puss, Junior. 

21 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“I,” said the lark, 

“If it’s not in the dark. 

I’ll be the clerk.” • 

And after that came the kite. He was very 
large and strong. 



“Poor cock robin,” said Puss, Junior, sadly. 
“Who’ll carry him to his grave?” 

“I,” said the kite, 

“If it’s not in the night, 

I’ll carry him to the grave.” 

Then came the linnet and the dove, who said 

she’d be chief mourner. And the sweet-voiced 

22 


DING, DONG! 

thrush “as she sat in a bush," said, “I’ll sing a 
psalm.” 

And all the while the deep-toned bell kept 
mournfully on — “ding, dong! ding, dong!” — 
for the big, kind-hearted bull was pulling the bell 
rope. Through the trees Puss, Junior, could see 
him tugging way at the rope, which was fastened 
to his horns, so that every time he moved his 
great head the bell swung back and forth. 
“Ding, dong!" it said, as it swung from the 
limb of the big oak tree. 

All the birds of the air 

Fell a sighing and sobbing. 

When they heard the bell toll 
For poor cock robin. 


3 


THE FEROCIOUS SNAIL 


A S Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb entered a 
small village in Mother Goose Land they 
heard a great noise. Such a shouting and 
waving of sticks! And all of a sudden from a 
small tailor shop twenty-four little tailors ran 
into the street. 

“What’s the matter?” Puss, Junior, asked a 
small boy. 

“The tailors are trying to kill a big snail that 
creeps into their shop every night,” he replied. 

And just then a big policeman came by and 
pushed his way into the crowd. “What’s all this 
noise about?” he demanded, swinging his stick. 

Pretty soon a woman popped her head out of a 
window and said: 

“Four and twenty tailors 
Went out to kill a snail; 

The best man amongst them 
Durst not touch her tail. 

She put out her horns. 

Like a little Keyloe cow. 

Run, tailors, run, 

Or she'll kill you all just now.” 

And even before she finished speaking the four 

and twenty tailors ran away as fast as they coidd. 

24 * 


THE FEROCIOUS SNAIL 


But, oh, dear me! as Puss, Junior, was laugh- 
ing at the funny sight the snail turned around 
and rushed at Tom Thumb. Poor little Tom 
drew his sword, which was about the size of a 
penknife, and bravely defended himself. And I 
guess everyone thought he was quite a hero after 
seeing the four and twenty tailors run away. 
But the snail had on a heavy coat of armor, and 
Tom could not force his weapon through it. He 
was getting much the worst of it when Puss ran 
up and with one blow sent the snail spinning 
away. And after that the snail didn’t come 
back to fight any more, but lay very still, except 
for a wiggle or two from its legs and a feeble 
waving of its horns. 

“Did you get hurt?” asked Puss, anxiously. 

“No, not much,” replied Tom Thumb. “The 
snail bunted me pretty hard two or three times 
with its horn, but that only took the breath out 
of me.” 

“Let’s go out of town,” said Puss, picking up 
Tom Thumb and placing him on his shoulder. 
“There’s such a crowd, and who wants to wait 
for those cowardly tailors to return.” 

So he and Tom Thumb resumed their journey 
of adventure, and in the next story you shall hear 
what happened after that. 


MARY’S LITTLE LAMB 


H ELLO! What’s the matter?” cried Puss 
in Boots, Junior, as he and Tom Thumb 
came to a little red schoolhouse on their journey 
of adventure through Mother Goose Land. 

“They’re making a dreadful racket,” said 
Tom, peeking through the keyhole of the front 
door. And then they both began to laugh, for 
what do you think they saw? Why, the teacher 
chasing a lamb around the schoolroom. 

“Do you remember the song about Mary’s 
little lamb?” asked Puss. 

“Little Mary had a lamb. 

Its fleece was snowy white. 

It followed her around all day 
And slept by her at night. 

“Once Mary’s little lamb was small. 

But now it is not so, 

For Mary’s pretty little pet 
Has had a chance to grow. 

“One day it went with her to school; 

They tried to put it out, 

Which made the little girls all laugh — 

The boys all raised a shout. 

26 


MARY S LITTLE LAMB 


“The teacher was a little man; 
His face was cross and red; 
And had but little hair upon 
His bald and shiny head.” 



But, oh, dear me! all of a sudden there was 
such a terrible uproar inside the schoolroom that 
Puss had to stop. 

“Ba-a-a-a! ba-a-a-a!” cried the little Iamb, 

jumping over a desk and upsetting the big, high 

27 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


stool, the one on which the dunce sat, you know, 
and after that it ran toward the door. Well, it 
didn't take long for Puss and Tom to jump away 
from the keyhole, let me tell you. I guess they 
thought Mary’s little lamb would break right 
through the door. 

The scholars all enjoyed the sport, 

And thought it jolly fun 

To see the teacher jump about — 

He wasn’t built to run. 

Just then, all of a sudden, there was an awful 
bang, for the teacher had become so angry that 

An inkstand at the lamb he threw. 

Then a three-legged stool; 

And such an angry man before 
Was never seen in school. 

The fleece, which once was snowy white. 

With ink was covered o’er — 

And Mary’s lamb was never seen 
In such a plight before. 

“Ba, ba, black sheep!'’ laughed Puss, Junior. 

But, oh, dear me! just then a cloud of smoke 
came rushing out of the open window and in 
another moment the little red schoolhouse was 
on fire. 


A LONG VACATION 


\/^FS, sir, the little red schoolhouse was on 
fire. And this is the way it happened. 
The teacher was so tired trying to put Mary’s 
little lamb out of the schoolroom that 

When he could not catch the lamb 
He called upon the boys, 

Who chased it all around the room 
And made a dreadful noise. 

And still it ran around the room. 

And did not seem to tire, 

Until at last the stove upset 
And set the house on fire. 

“What shall we do to save them?’’ cried Tom 
Thumb. 

“Jump on my back,’’ cried Puss, Junior. 
“We’ll run to the fire house and give the alarm.’’ 
And then away they went toward the village. 

“Fire! Fire! Fire!” screamed Tom Thumb 
at the top of his voice. 

And all the people put their heads out of the 
windows and asked where the fire was. 

“The little red schoolhouse,” screamed Puss, 
Junior. 

“The little red schoolhouse!” yelled Tom 

Thumb. “Fire! Fire! Fire!” 

29 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


And, oh, dear me! again, how the black-and- 
white-spotted dog in front of the engine house 
barked when Puss, with Tom Thumb on his 
back, dashed in at the open door. 



30 


A LONG VACATION 


“The little red schoolhouse is on fire!” 
screamed Tom Thumb. 

At once the fire bell rang and the horses 
jumped into place; the big steel collars snapped 
about their necks; the driver leaped to his seat; 
the firemen slid down the brass pole; the fire 
chief jumped into his little red wagon; the 
engine bell rang out, clang! clang! clang! and 
away went the village fire brigade to save the 
little red schoolhouse! 

The bells then rang, the firemen came 
And made a dreadful noise; 

They quenched the fire and saved the girls 
And nearly all the boys. 

When Mary missed her little lamb 
She raised an awful wail; 

Just then a fireman pulled it out. 

And saved it by the tail. 

“I’m glad your lamb is saved,” said Puss, 
as he and Tom Thumb jumped on the fire engine 
with the firemen and went back to the village. 

But the little schoolhouse was gone; all that 
was left was a pile of ashes. And I guess all 
the boys and girls had a long vacation, and 
maybe the teacher never came back. 


THE ROBBER KITTEN 


“HH HAT’S a nice-looking house over there,” 

A said Tom Thumb. “Suppose we go over 
and see if we can get something to eat.” 

“Very well,” replied Puss, Junior. 

So he and Tom went up and knocked on the 
front door. 

A kitten once to his mother said: 

“I’ll never more be good; 

But I’ll go and be a robber fierce 
And live in a dreary wood. 

Wood, wood, wood. 

And live in a dreary wood.” 

“x\ bold, bad kitten, my dear Puss,” Tom 
Thumb whispered. “I hope lie’s no relative of 
yours.” 

Just then the door flew open and out rushed a 
small cat. He wore a large, soft hat with a 
sweeping feather in it, and a pair of gloves, and 
in his belt was a great big pistol and from his 
side hung a scabbard and in his right paw was a 
sharp sword. 

It was a good thing he didn’t see Puss and 
Tom, for he might have done something dreadful, 
for all I know. 


32 


THE ROBBER KITTEN 


“Let’s follow this gay young kitten,” suggested 
Tom Thumb. 

After a little while the kitten turned to the 
right, and 


Off he went to the dreary wood, 

And there he met a cock. 

And blew his head, with a pistol, off. 

Which gave him an awful shock, 

Shock, shock, shock, 

Which gave him an awful shock. 

“We’d better be careful, ” cried Tom Thumb, 
jumping behind a tree. “I don’t want my head 
blown off.” 

“Neither do I,” said Puss, Junior. “This 
kitten is a very dangerous sort of animal. If 
he had only a sword I'd take chances, for I have 
mine with me. But pistols are pistols, and they 
go off sometimes too quickly for comfort.” 

Just then the robber kitten saw our two small 
travelers. 

“Helloa, there!” he cried. “Whither are you 
bound, my friends?” 

“We are in search of adventures,” replied Puss. 

“Hold up your hands!” cried the robber 
kitten. “I’m in search of plunder.” 

And in the next story you shall hear what 
happened after that. 


HOLD UP YOUR HANDS! 




N OW, when the robber kitten commanded 
Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb to hold up 
their hands our two small travelers just looked at 
him. “Hold up your hands!” he shouted again 
and this time you may be sure Puss and Tom 
obeyed, for they didn't want to run the risk 
of being shot, you see, and the muzzle of the 
pistol which the robber kitten held in its right 
paw was close to Puss, Junior’s, head. 

“Why haven’t you got more money?” cried 
the robber kitten, angrily. 

“I'll try to oblige you the next time,” answered 
Puss, Junior, with a grin. 

“Yes, I'll wear diamonds when I come through 
the dreary wood again,'’ said Tom Thumb. 
“We didn't expect to have the pleasure of being 
robbed.” 

Well, this made the robber kitten laugh, and, 
after putting the money in his pocket, he looked 
about him. And then all of a sudden 

He climbed a tree to rob a nest 
Of young and tender owls; 

But the branch broke off and he fell down. 

With six tremendous howls, 

Howls, howls, howls. 

With six tremendous howls. 

34 


HOLD UP YOUR HANDS! 


“That just serves him right,” whispered Tom 
to Puss, Junior, “and I’d tell him so if it weren’t 
for that pistol.” 

“So would I,” said Puss, Junior, “but he has 
the better of us, for we have onlv our swords.” 

Well, by this time the robber kitten had gone 
away, but Tom Thumb and Puss, Junior, were so 
angry at being robbed that they followed after 
him, hiding behind a tree whenever he turned 
around. 

Soon after that he met a cat. 

“Now give to me your purse 
Or I'll shoot you through, and stab you, too, 

And kill you, which is worse, 

Worse, worse, worse, 

And kill you, which is worse.” 


“Goodness, gracious me!” whispered Puss, 
Junior, from behind the tree where he and Tom 
were hiding. “That kitten is getting to be a 
terror.” 

“Isn’t he, though?” replied Tom. “Just look 
at his whiskers. They are bristling like 
bayonets.” 


WATCHFUL WAITING 


I T was now getting dark, and the path in the 
woods could hardly be seen, and pretty soon 
the robber kitten lay down on a mossy spot 
beneath a tree. 

“When he goes to sleep do you think we could 
grab the pistol away from him? I wouldn’t be 
afraid then, for I have my sword,” whispered 
Puss. 

“I think he sleeps with one eye open,” replied 
Tom Thumb. “Robbers very often do.” 

“Well, I’m mad clear through and through 
to think that just an ordinary kitten should rob 
you and me,” said Puss. “If I can only get that 
pistol away from him I'll soon show Mr. Robber 
Kitten who is the best fighter.” 

“S-s-s-h!” whispered Tom Thumb. “I think 
I saw his eyes open!” 

For several minutes they both kept silent. 
Then Puss, Junior, said in a low voice, “We’d 
better watch him to-night, and, if we can, we’ll 
sneak up and take the pistol from him.” 

“I’ll go to sleep first,” said Tom Thumb, “and 
when you get tired you wake me up and I’ll 
keep watch.” 

It was very still in the woods. But once when 

36 


WATCHFUL WAITING 


an owl tooted Puss saw the vellow eves of the 

«/ 

robber kitten gleam through the darkness. 
But poor little Tom Thumb was so tired that I 
verily believe if the robber kitten had fired off 

c / 

his pistol he would have still slumbered on 
peacefully. Puss, Junior, felt wide awake, and 
the more he looked at the robber kitten the more 
angry he became. 

“This is the first time a cat has got the best 
of me,” he said to himself. “I’ve outwitted 
numerous giants and other terrible people, but 
here I am, Puss in Boots, Junior, held up in the 
woods and robbed by a kitten!” Puss was so 
mad as he thought this over that he pinched 
himself. “I ll get the best of that kitten,” he 
murmured, “if it takes me the rest of my life. 
I don’t propose to have a mere cat rob me. I ll 
get his pistol and then it will be an even fight.” 

After that he settled himself comfortably by 
the side of little Tom Thumb, and by and by 
his head began to nod, and before very long he, 
too, was fast asleep. And in the next story you 
shall hear what happened in the morning. 


THE ROBBER DOG 


P USS, JUNIOR, awoke with a start as Tom 
Thumb leaned over him and whispered, 
“S-s-s-sh! The robber kitten is getting up. I 
see him stretching his legs and yawning.” 

Puss peered around the tree, and, sure enough, 
the robber kitten was awake. He was cleaning 
his pistol, which gleamed in the rays of the early 
morning sun. 

“I wish I could get hold of that pistol,” sighed 
Puss, Junior, as he pulled on his red-topped boots. 
“If it weren’t for that dreadful weapon I'd 
tackle that robber kitten this minute!” 

Tom Thumb was busy brushing his clothes and 
parting his hair. “I don’t feel very comfort- 
able,” he remarked. “I d like to wash my hands 
and face. I would if that robber kitten were only 
out of the way.” 

“Well, there he goes,” said Puss, Junior. 
“You go ahead and wash your hands and face 
in the brook, and I’ll follow the robber kitten. 
You had better be quick, or you'll lose us both.” 

Well, for almost a week they followed the 
robber kitten, until 

One day he met a robber dog, 

And they sat down to drink; 

38 


THE ROBBER DOG 


The clog did joke and laugh and sing. 
Which made the kitten wink, 
Wink, wink, wink, 

Which made the kitten wink. 



At last they quarreled, then they fought. 
Beneath the greenwood tree, 

Till puss was felled with an awful club 
Most terrible to see, 

See, see, see, 

Most terrible to see. 

When puss got up his eyes was shut 
And swelled and black and blue; 

Moreover, all his bones were sore. 

So he began to mew, 

Mew, mew, mew. 

So he began to mew. 

39 


4 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


And then, would you believe it? Puss, Junior, 
said, “Tom, I’m not going to have a kitten 
treated like that by a dog,” and, swinging his 
sword, he rushed at the robber dog, who turned 
tail and fled through the woods. 




( 


4 


y 


“I’LL NEVERMORE BE BAD” 


W ELL, as soon as the robber dog disappeared, 
the robber kitten said to Puss, Junior, 
“You have done me a good turn; you have re- 
turned good for evil, for I stole your money.” 

“Well, I can’t stand by and see a dog hurt a 
cat,” replied Puss, Junior. “At the same time 
I won’t have a cat rob me.” And, quick as a 
flash, Puss, Junior, seized the robber kitten’s 
pistol and pointed it at him. “Paws up!” he 
commanded. L^p went the robber kitten’s paws 
quicker than a wink. “Hold still till Tom 
Thumb goes through your pockets and gets the 
money you stole from us.” 

But, oh, dear me! Tom Thumb had a lot of 
trouble getting the money out of that robber 
kitten’s pocket. He fell in twice and the 
robber kitten had to pull off his coat to let him 
out. 

But after a while Tom Thumb fished out the 
last penny. Then he came over to Puss, Junior, 
and said: “Let the robber kitten go! I have 
the money safe in my pocket!” 

So Puss commanded the robber kitten to lower 
his paws and be off. 

Then up he rose and scratched his nose. 

And went home very sad. 

41 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Oh, mother, dear, behold me here; 
I’ll nevermore be bad, 

Bad, bad, bad, 

I’ll nevermore be bad.” 



42 



“ILL NEVERMORE BE BAD” 


When Puss and Tom Thumb heard the robber 
kitten say this to his mother, for they had fol- 
lowed him to his home, they looked at each other 
and smiled. Of course the robber kitten’s 
mother cried, for she was ashamed to think that 
her small son had turned into a robber and had 
stolen money from Puss, Junior, and Tom 
Thumb. 

“Don't cry, madam,” said Tom Thumb. “I 
think your son will be a good kitten after this. 
He should always remember how Puss, Junior, 
saved him from the robber dog, for there are not 
many cats in this world who are as kind as 
Puss, Junior.” 

“No, indeed,” replied the mother of the robber 
kitten. “Sir Cat,” she said, bowing to Puss, 
Junior, “I say ‘Sir,' for I see you have a sword 
and spurs. Therefore, you must be a royal cat.” 

“I am the son of the famous Puss in Boots,” 
replied Puss, Junior, “and am seeking ad- 
venture.” And then with a low bow he turned 
away, followed by his faithful friend, Tom 
Thumb. 


MR. FROG 


W HAT shall we do to-day, my dear com- 
rade?” Puss, Junior, said to Tom 
Thumb one beautiful, bright morning. 

“Let us walk over to yonder river. Perhaps 
we may find a boat. I am tired of walking on 
my two small legs.” 

“Climb up on my shoulder,” said Puss, Junior, 
good-naturedly. “I'll carry you for a time.” 

Well, by and by they came to the river, so 
these two small travelers looked about them. 

A frog among some rushes dwelt; 

A bachelor was he. 

No frog was ever so polite, 

Or such a beau could be. 

“Good morning!” cried Mr. Frog. 

“Good morning!” replied Puss, Junior, with 
a grin. 

“Good morning!” squeaked Tom Thumb from 
Puss, Junior’s, shoulder. 

“Who else said ‘Good morning’?” asked Mr. 
Frog, looking all around. 

“Ha, ha!” laughed Puss, Junior. “Look up, 
Mr. Frog, and see who’s on my shoulder.” 

But quick as a wink Tom Thumb hid behind 
Puss, Junior’s, head, so of course Mr. Frog 
couldn’t see him. 


44 


MR. FROG 


“Don’t make sport of me,” croaked Mr. Frog. 
“I’m feeling very unhappy this morning.” 

“Is that so?” said little Tom Thumb, peeking 
out from behind Puss, Junior’s, left ear. “I’m 
sorry.” 

“Why, you’re no bigger than I,” said Mr. 
Frog, with a smile. 

“I’m not nearly as fat,” said Tom Thumb, 
sliding down to the ground and standing close to 
Mr. Frog. 

“Is he as tall?” asked Mr. Frog, straightening 
up. 

“No taller,” said Puss, Junior, “and only 
half as wide.” 

“Well, that’s all right, then,” said Mr. Frog. 
“Sit down and I’ll tell you something about 
myself.” 

So Tom Thumb sat down on a little toadstool, 
and Puss, Junior, on the grass, and Mr. Frog 
commenced : 

“In passing near a cottage once 
I chanced to look above. 

And there beheld a pretty mouse. 

With whom I fell in love. 

“Her eyes and whiskers I admired, 

Her coat of softest fur. 

And wished to make her feel for me 
The love I felt for her." 

“Tom Thumb and I will help you win your 

lady fair,” said Puss, with a kind smile. 

45 




MRS. MOUSEY 


M R. FROG got off the big plantain leaf and 
walked over to Puss, Junior. “It’s very 
kind of you and Tom Thumb to say you will 
help me win the hand of Miss Mouse. Tell me 
how to begin.” 

“Put on vour best clothes and make her a call. 

I- 

We’ll go along, too,” replied Puss, Junior. 

“I will,” said Mr. Frog. 

So lie put on his scarf of red, 

His opera hat he wore; 

And, hopping to the house, he gave 
A rat-tat at the door. 

But first Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb hid 
behind a tree so as not to frighten the little 
mouse, “for, you know,” said Puss, Junior, to 
Mr. Frog, “mice are not fond of cats. It’s a 
good thing you’re a frog. She would never see 
you if you were a cat.” 

“Well, that’s something to be thankful for,” 
said Mr. Frog. 

But no one came to the door, so Tom Thumb 
whispered in Puss, Junior’s, ear, ”1 don’t believe 
she’s home.” 

“Don’t whisper so loudly,” said Puss. “Be- 
sides, you tickle my ear.” 

46 


MRS. MOUSEY 



Just then a noise from the little house made 
them look up. 

Mousey, as bashful as a miss, 

Retired from froggy’s view, 

But peeped at him from out her hole 
As froggy nearer drew. 

*7 




PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“He looks very fine in his opera hat,” said 
Puss, Junior. 

“His red scarf is lovely. Wish I had it,” 
whispered Tom Thumb. 

“There he goes up to the window!” cried Puss. 

“I see mousey’s head peeking out,” said Tom 
Thumb. 

V 

Mr. Frog approached and doffed his hat, 

Then, bending on one knee, 

Said, “Fairest mouse, pray listen to 
My tale of love for thee!” 

Little Miss Mousey leaned out of her window 
and bent quite close to Mr. Frog, who was still 
kneeling, holding his opera hat in one hand. 
Well, pretty soon he looked up at her bright eyes 
and soft gray fur and began again: 

“In me, the wretchedest of frogs. 

You see a love-sick swain. 

Oh, say you'll Mistress Froggy be, 

And make me well again!” 

“If she doesn’t say, ‘Yes,’ I’ll tell her I’ll eat 
her!” cried tender-hearted Puss, Junior. “I feel 
so sorry for Mr. Frog.” 


THE SERENADE 


“ /V TINY house I have hard by; 

1 Tis built among the rushes; 

You shall have dainties every day, 

With hips from wild-rose bushes”; 

Sang Mr. Frog in his tenderest voice as he 
knelt beneath the window of Miss Mousey’s 
little house: 

“I should like to know what ‘hips’ are?” 
Tom Thumb whispered to Puss, Junior. 

“They’re the fruit of the dogrose, or wild 
brier, as some people call it,” answered Puss, 
Junior. “But just look at mousey.” 

“I wish I were an artist; I’d draw her picture,” 
said Tom Thumb. “She looks so cunning, lean- 
ing out of the window.” I guess froggy thought 
so, too, for he stood on tiptoe and tried to climb 
into the room. 

Miss Mousey simpered and looked prim, 

Then modestly she said: 

“I do admire your yellow dress 
And handsome scarf of red. 

Oh, how can I resist that tongue, 

Those eyes of golden red? 

Your offer I accept at once, 

And will no other wed.” 

49 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“There'll he a wedding now, and we must be 
invited,” said Tom Thumb. 

“I’m afraid Miss Mousey will be afraid of me,” 
replied Puss, Junior. “I like weddings. I love 
to hear the wedding chimes; it is the happiest 
of times; it even makes me talk in rhymes!” 

“Let’s walk over to Miss Mousey’s house. 
I'll go first, for she won't be afraid of me,” said 
Tom Thumb. Leaving his hiding place, he 
walked boldly over to Miss Mousey’s house, 
where froggy was still standing beneath the 
window. 

“Miss Mousey, let me present Mr. Tom 
Thumb,” said froggy, and then Miss Mousey 
began to smile. 

But when Tom Thumb said: “My friend, 
Puss in Boots, Junior, is waiting near yonder 
tree. May I bring him over?” Miss Mousey 
began to shiver. “Oh, he won’t hurt you,” 
said Tom, quickly. 

“If you are sure,” she answered, after Tom 
Thumb had told her what a noble cat was Puss 
in Boots, Junior, “you may bring him here.” 


THE WEDDING 


rpOM THUMB was very pleased with Miss 
Mousey’s answer, and in a few minutes Puss 
was bowing beneath her window. Froggy looked 
very happy, for, of course, he considered .Tom 
Thumb and Puss, Junior, his best friends, and 
they were very nice-looking friends, you may be 
sure. For Puss, Junior, with the long feather in 
his cap and the bright sword at his side, looked 
as grand as any knight. And Tom Thumb, with 
his court costume and tiny sword, presented a 
splendid appearance. 

“You must come to our wedding,” said 
froggy,” helping Miss Mousey out of the window. 

No more was said, but, arm in arm, 

To church they hopped away. 

Got married, and prepared a feast 
To grace their wedding day. 

And to that wedding feast there came 
Some frogs of high degree, 

And mice of birth illustrious 
And first-rate pedigree. 

Tom Thumb and Puss, Junior, had a merry 
time. And when Puss stood up and said, “Ladies 

and gentlemen, here’s to the beautiful Mrs. 

61 



52 




THE WEDDING 


Froggy!’’ everybody cheered and clapped hands. 
“And here’s to my friend, the handsome Mr. 
Froggy.” And then the cheering and clapping 
of hands started all over again. Of course, 
everyone thought Puss, Junior, very grand and 
splendid. Which was very natural, since he had 
lived for a long time at the castle of my lord of 
Carabas and had met knights and kings in his 
travels. 

After that Tom Thumb climbed up on the 
table and made a speech, and then they all com- 
menced to eat the good things that were heaped 
upon the table. 

But what it was they feasted on 
We will not here record, 

But be assured they had the best 
The season could afford. 

The feast concluded, toasts went round 
In water from the rills. 

And then eight merry frogs and mice 
Got up to dance quadrilles. 

When the dance was over, it was midnight — 
time for everyone to go home — so, Puss, Junior, 
placed little Tom Thumb on his shoulder and 
strode away beneath the light of the big round 
moon and the silver stars. 


PUMPKIN HOUSE 


A LITTLE cock sparrow sat on a green tree, 

And lie chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he. 

A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow, 

Determined to shoot this little cock sparrow. 

“Before lie shoots,” Puss whispered to Tom 
Thumb, “I'll warn the little cock sparrow.” 
But when the boy had fitted an arrow to his 
bow, he looked up and said: 

“This little cock sparrow shall make me a stew. 

And his giblets shall make me a little pie, too.” 

“Oh no,” said the sparrow, “I won't make a stew!” 

And he flapped his wings and away he flew. 

After that Puss walked off down the road, 
with Tom Thumb on his shoulder, and by and 
by they came to a cornfield, where in and out 
among the rows of corn gleamed the big yellow 
pumpkins, and right there in the corner of the 
old snake fence stood little Peter Pumpkin 
Eater, with a great big knife in his hand. 

In a few minutes he had made a fine little house 
out of a pumpkin, but when he came to make the 
chimney it was not such an easy matter. 

At last. Puss, Junior, suggested that he cut 


PUMPKIN HOUSE 


out little bricks from the inside of the pumpkin 
and build a regular chimney. This was indeed 
a mighty good suggestion, and before long the 
chimney was finished. 

“It’s a fine house,” said Puss. “You ought to 
be very proud of it.” 

“Well, I am,” admitted Peter, “and as long 
as Mrs. Peter likes it, I am more than contented. 
Up to this time, you know, I haven’t been able 
to keep her in any house.” 

“I’ll promise to live in this one,” cried little 
Mrs. Peter, throwing her arms about his neck. 
“You’ve worked hard, and Mrs. Peter will 
always remember that.” 

Pretty soon Puss and Tom Thumb shook 
hands with Peter and Mrs. Peter Pumpkin 
Eater, and again started off on their journey 
of adventure. 

“Once more, dear little comrade,” cried Puss, 
Junior, “we are upon the broad highway. Let 
us be prepared for our next adventure.” 

“I’m ready,” cried little Tom Thumb, poking 
his head out of Puss, Junior’s, pocket. “Let 
come what will, we have stout hearts and 
courage still.” Just as he finished speaking the 
report of a gun came down the breeze. “What’s 
that? Did they shoot at us?” asked Tom 
Thumb, from the inside of Puss, Junior’s, pocket. 
But before Puss could reply, a little man appeared 
in the meadow close by. 

5 55 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


There was a little man and he had a little gun, 

And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead; 

He went to the brook and saw a little duck, 

And shot it right through the head, head, head. 

“That was a very good shot/’ cried Puss. 
“Do you think so?” asked the little man. 
“Perhaps it was.” And he leaned over and 
picked up the duck. And after that 

He carried it home to his old wife Joan 
And bade her a fire to make, make, make 
To roast the little duck he had shot in the brook, 

And he’d go and fetch the drake, drake, drake. 

“I’m going to tell the drake to look out for 
him!” said Puss, Junior. 


DISAPPOINTMENT 


“ T OOK here, Mr. Drake,” cried Puss, Junior, 
^ walking up to the brook, “the little man 
with his gun is coming back to take a shot at 
you. You had better swim away.” 

“Thank you,” replied the drake. “I’ll keep 
my eyes open, never fear.” 

Just then the little man returned in a great 
hurry, for his wife had already made a fire and 
he wanted to shoot the drake and get home 
again as soon as possible. He climbed over the 
fence and hurried toward the brook. 

Little Tom Thumb, who had crept out of 
Puss, Junior’s, pocket, sat down on a toadstool 
near by to watch the fun. And pretty soon the 
little man came up, all out of breadth, for his gun 
was very large and his bullets were large, too, and 
heavy, for they were made of lead. 

The drake was a-swimming with his curly tail, 

The little man made it his mark, mark, mark; 

He let off his gun, but he fired too soon, 

And the drake flew away with a quack, quack, quack. 

“Too bad,” cried the little man, and he looked 

very disappointed. “It would have been fine to 

have taken the drake home to my little old 

57 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 

woman. Do you like roast duck?” he asked, 
turning to Puss and Tom. 

“We do, indeed!” they both answered at once 
and in the very same words, strange as it may 
seem. 

“Then come with me,” said the little man, 



and he led them across the road and down the 

lane to his house. And just as they entered 

the front gate the odor of roast duck came 

through the kitchen window, and all three 

smacked their lips and said, “Doesn’t it smell 

good?” which was stranger still, for one can 

imagine two people saving the same thing at the 

58 


DISAPPOINTMENT 

same time, but for three, well, it is queer, very 
queer! 

“Joan,” said the little man — for this was his 
wife's name, you know — “I have brought these 
fine gentlemen home to lunch. Will there be 
duck enough to go round? I missed the drake, 
I’m sorry to say, so we shall have to be content 
with the duck.” 

“Well,” she replied, “the little fellow” — and 
she looked at Tom Thumb — “will not eat much, 
I'm sure. As for the booted cat, he seems to 
have the manners of a gentleman, and therefore 
will not ask for more than his share. We shall 
have enough and to spare, my good man.” 
And then the old lady shook hands with Puss 
and Tom Thumb. And pretty soon after that 
they all sat down to eat, and when the meal 
was over Puss promised to tell them a story. 


GINGERBREAD HOUSE 

T HE little man whose bullets were made of 
lead, as soon as the meal was over, leaned 
back in his chair and said: 

“My good Sir Cat, you look like a great 
traveler. Will you not tell us a story? My good 
wife Joan and I will be most attentive listeners.’ ’ 

Puss curled his whiskers reflectively for a few 
minutes. “What sort of a story would you 
like?” he asked. “An exciting one or something 
homelike? ’’ 

“Something homelike,” said the little man. 
“Something exciting,” cried his wife. “I have 
so much of home that I would hear something 
different.” 

“Just like a woman,” said Puss to himself; 
“they are much alike. Yet, what she says is 
reasonable. Too much of any one thing grows 
stale.” 

“What were you saying? ” asked the little man. 

“Never mind,” interposed his good wife, 

whose ears were sharper than his, “we will have 

a story of adventure,” and she smiled at Puss, 

who, after folding his napkin, settled himself 

back in his chair and commenced his story. 

“One fine morning as I was walking along with 

a small owl for a comrade, the verv same little 

60 


GINGERBREAD HOUSE 


owl who had rescued me from the giant of the 
beanstalk, I came to a queer-looking cottage 
made of gingerbread, in the midst of a thick 
forest. Feeling a bit hungry, I broke off a tiny 
piece, when I heard a voice say: ‘What is 
that? A little mouse nibbling pieces from my 
house? ’ 

“And then all of a sudden the door opened 
and I saw an ugly witch. She was leaning on a 
crutch. Her eyes were very black and bright 
and her nose long and crooked. 

‘“Come in, my dears,’ she said. ‘You must 
not eat up my house, for where then would I live? 
Come in, and if you are hungry I will give you 
something to eat.’ 

“I accepted her invitation, but the little owl 
stayed outside. I had my trusty staff with me, 
you see, and so I wasn’t afraid. 

“No sooner had I entered than I knew she 
was a very wicked old woman. A poor little 
child whom she called Gretel was crying in a 
corner of the room. 

“‘Get this fine cat something to eat,’ cried 
the wicked witch, giving her arm a pinch. 

“At this moment my little friend the owl 
flew into the house and whispered in my ear: 
‘There’s a little boy locked up in the stable. 
He says his sister is here.’ 

“‘We will rescue them,’ I answered; ‘but 
be careful.’ ’’ 


61 


THE END OF THE WICKED WITCH 



OW let me think for a moment,” said 


^ Puss, Junior, slowly curling his whiskers, 
while the little man whose bullets were made of 
lead waited impatiently for him to continue. 
“It’ s strange how one gets confused,” said Puss. 
“Do you remember what happened next?” he 
asked, turning to little Tom Thumb, who was so 
excited over the story that, had Puss looked at 
him a moment longer, he would have known that 
Tom had never heard it before. 

“No, of course I don’t,” said Tom. “Hurry, 
Puss dear, I want to hear what happened to 
Gretel and her brother.” 

“Oh yes,” said Puss, “as soon as the little owl 
told us that her brother Hansel was shut up in the 
stable I made up my mind to rescue both chil- 
dren from the wicked witch. She didn’t notice 
that the little owl was whispering to me, for 
she was busy making bread. Presently she said, 
‘Gretel, see if the oven is hot.’ 

“‘I’m not sure,’ said the child, crying bitterly, 

and then the old witch gave her a slap and 

opened the oven door herself, and as she leaned 

over to look in I gave her a push. In she went, 

head first, and, quick as a wink, I slammed the 

62 


THE END OF THE WICKED WITCH 



door shut and fastened it tight. Then Gretel 
and I unlocked the stable door and freed her 
brother. 

“‘Can you find your way home?’ I asked. 

“‘Yes,’ answered Gretel, ‘for on our way here 

63 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


we dropped little white stones, and we can fol- 
low them until we reach the edge of the forest.’ 

“And then they hurried away, after hugging 
me and saying how much they appreciated all 
I had done for them.” 

“Well, well, well!” said the little old man, 
looking at Puss, Junior, with great admiration, 
“you certainly are a brave cat. I’m glad 
to have met you, for that was a fine story you 
told, and it shows you are a brave and kind 
animal.” 

“Of course he is,” cried little Tom Thumb. 
“Didn’t he rescue me from the mousetrap in 
which I was imprisoned by the king's baker?” 

“What!” cried the little man. “Did he do 
that?” 

“Yes, indeed,” answered Tom Thumb, “and 
if vou’d like to hear the story, I will tell it to 
you. 

But Puss, Junior, was so modest that he re- 
fused to hear more about himself. 


THE KNAVE OF TARTS 


ELL tell you about the ‘three jolly Welsh- 

* men' I met on my voyage with the owl in 

our ‘beautiful pea-green boat,’” said Puss, good- 

naturedly. “You see, 1 had just escaped from 

the wicked giant of the beanstalk, and we were 

still at sea, when one day land came in sight. 

And as we drew nearer we saw ‘three jolly 

Welshmen ’ standing on the beach, who said 

that the Queen of Hearts was making tarts that 

day, and that, if the little owl and I would 

follow them they would lead us to Her Majesty. 

Well, by and by we came to her castle, and on 

entering the courtyard we found a great feast 

had been prepared. There were great long tables 

on which were laid wonderful things to eat. 

“I never saw so many tarts in all my life. 

There were raspberry tarts and blackberry 

tarts, strawberry, lemon, and apple; in fact, 

every kind of a tart that could be thought of 

had been baked by the Queen of Hearts. And 

she was very proud indeed of her display. 

“Everything was going along beautifully when, 

all of a sudden, the Knave of Hearts seized a 

trayful and ran away. This made the queen so 

angry that she forgot all about being a queen 

65 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 



and, lifting up her royal skirts, ran after the 

knave. Well, I couldn't stand by and see a 

lady — to say nothing of a queen — chase a robber 

without helping her. Finally I caught the fellow 

66 


♦ 


THE KNAVE OF TARTS 


and brought him back to the King of Hearts, 
who gave him a terrible beating. 

‘‘After that the queen thanked me graciously 
and told me any favor I asked would be granted. 
So I answered I was most anxious to find my 
father, Puss in Boots, and she immediately called 
her oldest retainer, who said my father was 
seneschal to my lord of Carabas. Ah, how 
happy I was to hear that!" And Puss, Junior, 
paused in his story. 

“I'll warrant vou were,” exclaimed the little 

«/ ' 

old man. 

“But it was many a long day’s journey before 
I found him,” said Puss; “but when I did I was 
a happy cat, you can well believe.” 


“SAILORS BOLD” 


OUT the best of friends must part, and pretty 
U soon Puss and Tom Thumb said good-by 
and again resumed their journey of adventure, 
and by and by they came to the sea, where on the 
beach lay a small boat. And wasn’t it strange 
that it should be the pea-green boat? Puss 
picked up Tom Thumb and jumped aboard, and 
when the tide came in Puss hoisted the sail and 
set off on a voyage of discovery. And wasn’t 
it lucky? There were boxes of crackers and 
bottles of water packed away in the cabin. 

“Hurrah!” cried Puss, and he began to sing: 

“Over the waves and the sparkling foam, 

Away from land we call our home; 

Far out to sea we’ll sail away. 

Sailors bold for many a day!” 

“I never knew you were so good a sailor," 
said little Tom Thumb, watching Puss, Junior, 
trim the sails and handle the tiller. “You are an 
old sailor.” 

“Ha, ha!" laughed the little owl; “I taught 
him a few things.” 

“Perhaps I’m a natural-born sailor cat,” 
laughed Puss. 


68 


“SAILORS BOLD ” 


“Off on the bounding sea we float. 

Puss, Junior, and Tom in their little sailboat. 

Hoist the topsail and let her go 
Over the foam as white as snow. 

Haul in your mainsheet! Hard a-lee! 

These are the words we used at sea. 

When the harbor we reach at last 

We’ll lower the sail from the big, tall mast.” 

Where did you learn that song?” asked Tom 
Thumb. 

“Didn't learn it,” replied Puss. “Made it up 
as I went along! I feel so jolly sailing away, 
why, I even don't mind getting wet with the 
spray!” 

After a while the sun hid himself in the west 
and the big moon came out and looked down on 
Puss, Junior, at the helm and little Tom Thumb 
and the big-eyed owl. And the little boat raced 
along, and the great waves lifted it up on their 
white-crested heads and let it down again quite 
safely, and the evening breeze sang a soft little 
lullaby, so that by and by Tom Thumb went 
sound to sleep. 

And pretty soon Puss closed first one eye and 
then the other, till, all of a sudden, Captain 
Puss, Junior, went sound asleep. But the little 
boat kept right on its way until it bumped on a 
sandy beach. 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


TT was Christmas Eve as Puss, Junior, and 
* Tom Thumb came to a pretty village. Over 
the sparkling snow the villagers were bringing 
in fir trees from the forest. Sleigh bells rang out 
merrily and troops of children filled the street. 
Tom Thumb was perched on Puss, Junior’s, 
shoulder, for the snow was deep and it was im- 
possible for two short legs such as Tom's to 
tramp through the drifts. 

“Hello!” exclaimed a big, good-natured man 
who was dragging a large fir tree over the snow. 
“Look who's here! Tom Thumb and Puss in 
Boots! Come home with me, little friends. My 
children will be happy to see you.” 

“Thank you, my good sir,” replied Puss, 
Junior. “What say you, Tom? Shall we accept 
this kind invitation?” 

“Of course,” replied Tom. 

“Then follow me,” said the man. “The sun 
will soon be going down, and I must get this 
tree home in time for the presents.” 

“We will help you,” cried Puss, Junior, and 
Tom Thumb. 

“Ha, ha!” laughed the man. “I think I’ll 
hang Mr. Tom Thumb on the tree. He would 
make a very fine present.” 

70 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


“I don’t want to be hung!” whispered Tom 
in Puss, Junior’s, ear. 

“Never fear,” replied Puss, Junior. “I shall 
allow no one to hang you for a present, or put 
you in the toe of a stocking. You are my little 
comrade, and together we go, you and I.” 



Well, by and by they arrived at the man's 
house, where a troop of merry children ran out 
to greet them. On seeing Puss, Junior, and Tom 
Thumb they shouted with delight, “Oh, father, 
where did you find these two dear little fellows?” 
After supper, when the parlor door was opened, 

a beautiful sight met their eyes. The tree was 
6 71 




PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


hung from top to bottom with lovely presents. 
The candles twinkled and winked among the 
silver tinsel, and the colored balls and trinkets 
glistened upon the branches. 

Puss, Junior, and the children danced around 
the tree, while Tom Thumb, being so very little, 
stood upon the table and beat a small toy drum 
with all his might. And after the children were 
tired dancing the presents were given out, and 
Puss received a lovely pair of mittens and Tom 
Thumb a little fur coat, while 

Little Jack Horner sat in a corner. 

Eating a Christmas pie. 

He put in his thumb and he took out a plum. 

And said, “What a good boy am I!” 


CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE MORNING 


P\AME, get up and bake your pies. 

Bake your pies, bake your pies. 

On Christmas Day in the morning! 

“Dame, what makes your maidens lie. 

Maidens lie, maidens lie? 

Dame, what makes your maidens lie 
On Christmas Day in the morning?’' 

Then it all came back to them. It was little 
Jack Horner’s father who was calling. And it 
was Christmas morning. Of course it was only 
last night that they had gone to the Christmas 
tree! Tom Thumb sprang out of bed and looked 
at the little fur overcoat which he had received 
for a present. Then they heard Jack Horner’s 
father calling again: 

“Dame, what makes your ducks to die. 

Ducks to die, ducks to die? 

Dame, what makes your ducks to die? 

Dame, get up and bake your pies 
On Christmas Day in the morning!” 

“Because we are to have them for Christmas 
dinner,” she answered, “and a mighty fine dinner 
we shall have, too.” 


73 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Mr. Horner seems to know his Mother 
Goose” whispered Puss, Junior. “Perhaps we’d 
better get up.’’ And he sprang out of bed and 
pulled on his red-topped boots, while Tom 
Thumb put on his fur overcoat. Pretty soon the 
children came tramping down the stairs, and then 
Air. Horner called out again : 

“Their wings are cut and they cannot fly. 

Cannot fly, cannot fly; 

Their wings are cut and they cannot fly 
On Christmas Day in the morning. 

“Well, that is lucky,” said Mr. Horner; “I 
was thinking I might have a hard time catching 
them.” 

“Well, by this time the children, with Puss, 
Junior, and Tom Thumb, were playing with 
their presents under the tree, which was still 
standing, but the candies were not lighted, of 
course. It looked very pretty, just the same, 
for the silver tinsel and trinkets were still hanging 
from its green boughs. 

After a while they all went out for a sleigh ride, 
which was great fun. “Jingle bells, jingle bells, 
jingle all the way!” And Puss, Junior, and 
Tom Thumb never had so much fun as on that 
ride, and when everybody arrived home there 
was the wonderful Christmas dinner waiting for 
them. 

Christmas comes but once a year, 

But when it does it brings good cheer. 

74 


A MOONY OLD CAT 


A MOONY old cat 
1 That lived on the dew 
Had six little kittens 
That never would mew. 

And I will tell you how Puss, Junior, and little 
Tom Thumb found out about this silly old cat. 
They were traveling along together, looking for 
adventure, when all of a sudden they heard a 
dreadful mewing. It came from a little house 
that stood in plain sight close to the broad 
highway. 

“I hate to hear a kitten mew,” said Puss, 
Junior. “When a kitten purrs you know it is 
happy; but when it mews something’s wrong.” 

“Then let’s go over to the little house and find 
out what’s the matter,” said Tom Thumb. So 
he and Puss, Junior, walked over and knocked at 
the door. But, oh, dear me! the sight that met 
their eyes when the door opened made them very 
angry. The “moony old cat” had just returned 
from the village. 

She bought a big bellows 
And blew in their ears; 

Then all mewed so loud 
It brought her to tears. 

75 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Stop! stop!” yelled Puss, Junior. ‘Don’t 
you dare use those bellows again!” The “moony 
old cat” looked frightened to death. Puss, 
Junior, sword in hand, and eyes flashing fire, 
would frighten any cat, whether it happened to 
be “moony” or not. At once the six little 



kittens ran over to him and began to purr at a 
great rate. 

“How could you do such a cruel thing to 
these dear kitties?” he said, looking at the 
“moony old cat.” 

“Well, I’ll tell you,” she answered. “They 

did nothing but purr, purr all the time. They 

never would mew, no matter what I said, and 

76 



A MOONY OLD CAT 


every kitten certainly should learn how to mew. 
So I went to the village and bought a big bellows. 
I didn’t think it would hurt them, but they 
mewed so loud it made me cry.” 

“I’m glad it made you cry. Give me the bel- 
lows and promise me you’ll never again hurt 
these dear little kittens.” 

The “moony old cat” handed the bellows to 
Puss and gave him her word she would never 
hurt her kitties again. And after that Puss, 
Junior, and Tom Thumb bowed their way out of 
the front door and continued their journey of 
adventure. 


A WIG FOR MR. PIG 


TV/TR. PIG without a wig was in the barber 
shop. Under his neck was tucked a clean, 
white towel and over his fat chin was spread a 
snowy lather. The barber, with razor in hand, 
was just about to shave him, remarking, as he 
turned Mr. Pig’s head to one side with a gentle 
push, “Your beard is very rough, Mr. Pig.” 

“Never mind how rough it is, but see that you 
hurry. My friends are waiting for me. One of 
them is Tom Thumb, from the court of King 
Arthur. The leader is Puss in Roots, Junior, 
on his Good Grav Horse. The robin of Mother 

K- 

Goose fame is one of the party, as is also Buff, the 
dog, who spilled his master’s snuff.” 

“Enough! enough!” cried the barber. “ ’Tis 
no easy job to shave a pig. Say no more, else 
I may cut your throat.” 

At these words Mr. Pig gave a dreadful grunt. 

“Re careful! Don’t move!” cried the barber. 
“You’ll jostle my hand.” After that the pig 
kept very still, you may be sure. “Ray rum or 
witch-hazel?” asked the barber. 

After that Mr. Pig sat up. 

“Now, barber,” he said, “I want that wig. 
According to Mother Goose , ‘four and twenty 

78 


A WIG FOR MR. PIG 



I TONES 
BABCOCK. 


hairs will make a wig/ Did you get as many as 
two dozen hairs off my chin?” 

“More than that,” replied the barber. 

“Well, get to work on the wig,” cried the pig; 
“I must have it before I leave. My friends are 

79 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


impatient. Tom Thumb asked me to make 
haste.” 

“Although I cannot drive a pig, I can shave 
one,” laughed the barber, as he deftly twined the 
hairs into a good-looking wig. “It will not take 
long to finish my job.” And he turned and 
opened the door. “I will tell your comrades 
that you will be with them soon,” he said. “But 
remember, if they don’t wait, that I did my duty, 
and don’t blame me. Now put on your coat, 
Mr. Pig; your wig will be finished by that time. 
I hope it will become you!” 

“Becoming or not,” said the pig, as he pulled 
on his coat, “it will protect my bald head. It will 
also prevent much ridicule, for whenever I’m 
polite and doff my hat I am laughed at on account 
of my baldness.” 

“Let me put it on for you,” said the barber. 
Carefully he placed the wig upon Mr. Pig’s head, 
who surveyed himself in the long mirror, and 
then, with a grunt of satisfaction, he put on his 
high hat. Giving the barber a pinch of snuff, 
he walked out of the shop and joined Puss, 
Junior, and his friends. 


THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT 


T HIS is the house that Jack built.” 

“Well, he knew how to build a house,” 
said Puss, Junior, reining in his faithful steed. 

“I wonder if he has built as fine a stable?” 
said the Good Gray Horse. “I am a bit weary 
with carrying such a heavy load as Puss in Boots, 
Junior, and Thomas Thumb, Esquire.” 

“Oh, get out!” laughed Tom Thumb. 

“Oh, gid-ap! you mean,” said Puss. 

And while this talk was going on, the robin 
and the pig without a wig looked about them. 
Buff, the dog, was sniffing here and there. Per- 
haps he smelled a rat. At any rate, just then 
Jack himself came to the door. He was dressed 
in a blue smock and green knee breeches, and on 
his head was a broad -brimmed hat. 

“This is the rat 
That ate the malt 

That lay in the house that Jack built/* 

he cried in a loud voice. 

“I knew I smelled a rat!” barked Buff. And 

no sooner had he finished speaking than a great 

commotion arose inside the house. Then a 

squeak was heard, and pretty soon Jack again 

opened the door and cried: 

81 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“This is the cat 
That killed the rat 
That ate the malt 

That lay in the house that Jack built/’ 

After that a big yellow cat looked out of the 
window and bowed. 



“Isn’t she beautiful?” Jack asked, with a 
laugh; “I’m going to get her a pair of little 
pink slippers. She deserves them for killing the 
rat that ate the malt.” 

“Bow-wow! bow-wow!” All of a sudden a 

fierce-looking dog trotted around the corner of 

the house. Running up the front steps he rushed 

82 









THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT 


inside before Jack could close the door. The 
yellow cat disappeared, and the sound of falling 
chairs came through the open window. At once 
little dog Buff grew so curious that he wanted to 
rush up on the piazza, but just then Jack ap- 
peared, leading the dog by the collar. 

“This is the dog 
That worried the cat 
That killed the rat 
That ate the malt 

That lay in the house that Jack built.” 


A HIGH TOSS 


“rpHIS is just like a vaudeville show,” cried 
Puss, Junior, as Jack again disappeared in 
his house. “First we see the house that Jack 
built, then the malt, then the rat, then the cat, 
and now the dog.” 

“What comes next?” asked Tom Thumb; 
“I’ve forgotten my Mother Goose , it seems.” 
Before he could answer, Jack himself opened the 
door and ran down the front steps. 

“Hello, Puss, Junior! Hello, Tom Thumb! 
Hello, all the rest of you! Glad to see you! 
Come with me to the stable. I want to show you 
the cow with the crumpled horn. 

“This is the cow 
With the crumpled horn 
That tossed the dog 
That worried the cat 
That killed the rat 
That ate the malt 

That lay in the house that Jack built.” 

But, goodness me! the cow with the crumpled 
horn was a very meek-looking animal. She stood 
close to the old rail fence, chewing her cud and 

flicking the flies with her tail. 

84 


A HIGH TOSS 


“I don’t know much about cows,” said Puss, 
Junior, dismounting from his Good Gray Horse 
and walking up to the cow to rub her cold, wet 
nose with his paw. “The only cow whose ac- 
quaintance I ever made was the one who jumped 
over the moon.” 



“I never was much of a jumper,” said the cow 
with the crumpled horn. “I’m more handy 
with my horns than I am with my legs. I cer- 
tainly gave the dog that worried the cat a good 
high toss!” And she laughed at the thought 
of it. 

“Where is he now?” asked Tom Thumb. 

85 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Still up in the sky, I dare say,” she answered. 
“I only tossed him up a few minutes before you 
came. You see, he was worrying the cat that 
killed the rat, and Jack, while he was fond of 
him, didn’t like to have him annoy pussy. So he 
told me, if I ever got the chance, to give him a 
good toss — and I did.” 

Just then a dark object was seen in the sky 
overhead. 

“There he is now,” said the cow with the 
crumpled horn; “he must be coming down.” 

And, sure enough, he was. For when Puss 
looked up he could just see the figure of a dog 
against the background of white clouds. It was 
truly wonderful the way he managed to come 
down. Instead of falling like a stone and hitting 
the ground with a thud, he landed lightly on 
the grass and, without stopping to look about 
him, ran off to the house. 


THE MAIDEN ALL FORLORN 


A S soon as the dog that worried the cat had 
- disappeared, no one seemed at all in- 
terested. The sight of a dog falling from the 
sky and running off as if it were an everyday 
occurrence was enough to flabbergast anybody. 

Jack, who had gone into the barn to feed the 
horses, was the first to speak. “What makes 
you all so quiet?” he asked. “It is bad enough 
to have on the farm a maiden all forlorn, but 
if you all are going to get that way, too, why, 
I’m going out of the building business.” 

“We are not forlorn!” cried Tom Thumb; 
“we’re surprised. I’ve seen falling stars, but 
not falling dogs.” 

“Perhaps it was a dogstar,” said Jack; and 
then everybody laughed except the maiden all 
forlorn, who stood at the fence, looking per- 
fectly miserable. 

“Introduce me, won’t you?” said Puss. 

“This is the maiden all forlorn that milked 
the cow with the crumpled horn.” 

But the maiden never smiled; instead, she 
wiped a tear from her pretty blue eyes and gave 
a long sigh. 

Just then a very badly dressed person came 
7 * 87 * ' 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


toward them. He had on an old straw hat and 
his coat was torn in many places. His trousers 
were frayed at the bottom and his shoes were 
full of holes. 

“This is the man all tattered and torn 
That kissed the maiden all forlorn,” 


cried Jack. 

The maiden all forlorn gave a scream. “ Don’t 



let him come near me. I won’t be kissed. I 
won’t!” 

“Indeed you shall not!” cried Puss, Junior, 
whipping out his sword. “Come a step nearer, 



THE MAIDEN ALL FORLORN 


you thing of shreds and patches, and I’ll run you 
through with my trusty sword.” 

The man all tattered and torn stopped short. 
He didn’t like the flashing eye and fierce whisker 
of Puss, Junior. 

“She was forlorn before I kissed her,” he said. 

“Was she?” said Puss, Junior. “Well, you 
didn’t cure her, did you? I’ll wager she’s for- 
lorner than ever.” 

“Of course I am,” sobbed the maiden. “What 
right had he to kiss me!” 

“What are you doing around here, anyway?” 
asked little Tom Thumb. “I think you’re a 
tramp!” 

“So do I,” cried Jack. “If you don’t get out, 
I’ll put you in the cornfield for a scarecrow.” 
And this so frightened the man all tattered and 
torn that he took to his heels and ran off. 


ONE THING DEPENDS ON ANOTHER 


AS the man all tattered and torn ran away, 
a church bell began to ring, “Ding, dong! 
ding, dong!” In the distance could be seen a 
church spire among the trees. “Ding, dong! 
ding, dong!” went the bell, and just then up the 
road came a man dressed in a long black robe, 
who stopped when he came opposite the house 
that Jack built. 

“This is the priest all shaven and shorn 
That married the man all tattered and torn 
That kissed the maiden all forlorn.” 

“You don't say so!” exclaimed Tom Thumb. 
“What a terrible mistake it was!” 

“Yes, I guess it was,” said Jack. “You see, 
everybody thought when he got married he’d go 
to work, but he didn’t. He just kept on being 
tattered and torn.” 

“Too bad!” said Tom Thumb. 

“It never would have happened,” said Jack, 
“if the priest hadn’t been waked up in time.” 

“Why, how was that?” asked Tom Thumb, 
curiously. 

Just then a rooster crowed, “Cock-a-doodle- 
do” 


90 


ONE THING DEPENDS ON ANOTHER 


“This is the cock that crowed in the morn 
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn 
That married the man all tattered and torn.” 

“Oh-ho! I see!” cried Tom Thumb. “It’s 
really the rooster’s fault. If he hadn't wakened 
the priest the priest never would have reached 
the church in time to marry the man all tattered 
and torn.” 

“That’s true,” said Jack. “One thing de- 
pends on another. And then, too, there’s always 
an ‘if’ or a ‘but.’ So you never can tell. At 
any rate, lie's married, and he’s still all tattered 
and torn.” 

“Who's all tattered and torn?” cried a voice. 

A nice, fat, jolly sort of a man stood close at 
hand. Across his red waistcoat lay a big gold 
chain. 

“This is the farmer who sowed the corn 
That kept the cock that crowed in the morn,” 

explained Jack, introducing the farmer. 

“Well, then, it’s his fault that the man all 
tattered and torn was married,” said Tom 
Thumb. 

“It’s nothing of the kind,” said the farmer, 
“and you’ll never make me think so!” 


SEA BERRIES 


“ T T OW strange it seems to once more travel 

A A on foot!” said Puss. 

'‘Yes, we shall miss the Good Gray Horse,” 
said Tom Thumb. 

“But it won’t be for long,” answered Puss. 
“As soon as he gets a new shoe he will follow 
us.” 

“Ah, well, never mind,” said Tom Thumb. 
“We can keep on our way. No doubt we will 
fall in with some new adventure before we have 
gone a great distance.” And, sure enough, this 
proved to be the case For pretty soon they 
reached a wild place with rocks and deep caverns, 
sandy stretches and low hills. 

“This is indeed a bad country,” said little Tom 
Thumb. As he finished speaking a strange- 
looking man came toward them. 

“You hide behind a tree,” whispered Puss, 
“while I talk to him. If he tries to harm me, 
you rush out and hit him with your sword.” 

The man evidently thought Puss was alone, 
for he said, “Are you lost, my young friend?” 

“No,” replied Puss; “I am on my way to find 
my father.” 

“You had better turn back, then, for this is a 
wilderness.” 


92 


SEA BERRIES 


“Do you live here?” asked Puss, Junior. 
“Yes, I do,” he replied, kk and I ask everybody 
the same question who comes along.” 

“What is it?” asked Puss. 

“How many strawberries grow in the sea?” 
replied the man. 



“Ha, ha!” laughed Puss. “I have been to sea 
in a pea-green boat, also in a ship with masts of 
gold and sails of silk, but I never fished for 
strawberries. Are you sure they are not little 
red fish?” 

The man began to laugh. This made Puss, 

Junior, angry. “As many as red herrings grow 

93 * 




PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


in the wood,” he cried, and off he marched to 
where Tom Thumb was hiding. 

“If that man thinks he’s going to make fun 
of me, I’ll give him an answer that will show 
him I’m up to his tricks.” 

“What did he say?” inquired Tom Thumb. 

“The man in the wilderness asked me, 

How many strawberries grew in the sea. 

I answered him, as I thought good, 

As many as red herrings grew in the wood.” 

“Ila, ha!” laughed Tom. “Pretty fine 
answer. Good for you!” 

Then, picking up Tom, Puss, Junior, placed 
him on his shoulder and marched out of the 
wilderness. 


A CROOKED SIXPENCE 



NE day, when an old woman was sweeping 


C/ her house, she found a little, crooked 
sixpence. “What shall I do with this little six- 
pence? ” she said. 

“Go to market and buy a little pig!” cried 
Puss, Junior, who happened just then to look 
in at the window. 

“And be sure it has a little pink nose and two 
little pink eyes,” added Tom Thumb, who had 
climbed up on the sill. 

“I will go to market and buy the pig if you 
will come with me,” she answered. So off they 
started; but, oh, dear me! they had gone only a 
little way when she suddenly remembered that 
she had left the little crooked sixpence on the 
mantelpiece; so, Puss, Junior, ran back for it, 
and after that they traveled along merrily until 
they reached the market place. 

There were lots of little pigs, and it took the 
old woman a long time to decide which one to 
buy, but at last Tom Thumb picked out a very 
pretty one. 

But, goodness me! what trouble there was to 
drive little piggy home! He always wanted to 
go the wrong way, and when they came to a stile, 


95 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


why, he just wouldn't go over it. Try as the old 
woman might, she couldn't make him. Neither 
could Puss, Junior. As for Tom Thumb, he was 
knocked over, trying to head piggy off, and gave 
up the job in disgust. 

So the old woman went to find some one to 



help her. At last she met a dog. So she said to 
the dog: 

“Dog, dog, bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile. 

And I sha n’t get home to-night.” 

But the dog wouldn’t help, so the old woman 
called to Puss and Tom, and told them to come 

96 


A CROOKED SIXPENCE 


along, as she was going to find somebody to 
help her, if it took all night. And by and by 
she met a stick. 

“Stick, stick, beat dog; 

Dog won't bite pig; 

Piggy won't get over the stile, 

And I sha'n’t get home to-night.” 

But the stick wouldn't help. 

“It’s a crabbed old oak or a knotty old elm," 

said Puss, Junior. “Never mind, we’ll not give 
>> 

up. 

By and by they came to a meadow where a 
bonfire was burning. The flames crackled mer- 
rily, and seemed to say, “Why don’t you ask us 
to help?" So the old woman climbed over the 
fence and said to the fire: 

“Fire, fire, burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile, 

And I sha’n’t get home to-night.” 

But the fire would not, and then the old woman 
didn’t know what to do. “Don’t give up hope," 
said Puss, Junior; “perhaps we will find some 
kind person to help us yet." 


THE OBSTINATE PIG 


P ERHAPS you can ride the pig/' suggested 
Tom Thumb. And, sure enough, as soon 
as Puss jumped on his back the pig set off at a 
great rate. But still he wouldn’t jump over the 
stile. Goodness me! What was to be done? 
Not a traveler appeared upon the broad highway. 
The sun was low in the sky and it looked as if 
they would be unable to get the pig home that 
night. 

“I've often heard it was a most difficult thing 
to drive a pig,” remarked the old woman, “but 
I never realized it so thoroughly as I do just at 
this moment.” 

“Some of the good old sayings are pretty 
true,” said Puss, Junior, with a grin. “My 
father, who is the seneschal for my lord of 
Carabas, is very fond of quoting them.” 

A merry little brook ran under the bridge that 
spanned the highway, and as Puss looked over the 
railing at the sparkling water he spied a trout 
swimming about. Puss was fond of fish, as all 
cats are, but before he could make up his mind 
to go fishing the old woman cried out: 

98 


THE OBSTINATE PIG 


“Water, water, quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile. 
And I sha’n’t get home to-night.' ” 



But the water would not. It was just as dis- 
obliging as all the others. So of course there 
was nothing left to do but try again. 

In the meadow stood a great ox. The sweet 
clover waved about his feet and the grass wrinkled 
and crinkled in the afternoon breeze. 

“Come along,” said the old woman to Puss, 

99 


> 

> > 


) 


> 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


Junior, climbing over the fence and walking up to 
the ox, who seemed quite disgusted at being 
disturbed. He looked first at her and then at 
Puss, Junior. The old woman was a bit fright- 
ened, and also a little out of breath, so she waited 
a minute before she said: 

“Ox, ox, drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 

Fire won't burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t get over the stile, 

And I sha’n’t get home to-night.” 

• 

« 

But the great big ox said he wasn’t the least 
bit thirsty. In fact, he wanted to eat more 
clover and would be very much obliged if they 
would let him alone. And he angrily tossed his 
head, so the old woman beat a hasty retreat, 
taking Puss by the paw and climbing over the 
fence as fast as possible. 


MORE TROUBLE 



HE old woman and Puss, Junior, were now 


almost discouraged, for everybody had re- 
fused to help them get piggy over the stile. 
“I wish I had never found that crooked sixpence,’’ 
cried the old woman, the tears coming to her eyes. 

“We might have bought a little spotted cow. 
I never was fond of pigs, anyway,” said Puss, 
with a sigh. 

Just then who should come along but a good- 
natured, fat butcher. At least he looked good 
natured until the old woman said: 


“Butcher, butcher, kill ox; 
Ox won’t drink water.” 


“Why should I kill the ox,” said he. “Just 
because he won’t drink water? Maybe he isn’t 


thirsty.” 


“He said he wasn’t,” said Puss, Junior. 

“Well, there you are!” laughed the butcher, 
who suddenly seemed to regain his good humor. 
“Did you not ever hear the old saying, ‘You can 
lead a horse to the trough, but you can’t make 
him drink’?” 

“But a horse isn’t an ox,” said the old woman. 


101 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“I only want the ox to drink the water, the 
water to quench the fire, the fire to burn the 
stick, and the stick to beat the dog, and the dog 
to bite the pig, so that I can get him over the 
stile and take him home with me.” 

“Mercy me!” exclaimed the butcher. “This 
is a mixed-up state of affairs. I must be going.” 
And he bowed and walked away. 

“The same old story,” sighed the old woman. 
“Nobody wants to help. What are we going to 

1 ^ n 

do: 

“Keep up a brave heart. Who said we were 
beaten?” said Puss, bravely. 

Just then the butcher called out: “Here is a 
strong piece of rope. Why don't you tie it 
around the pig’s neck and pull him up over the 
stile? ” 

But, instead, the old woman said to the rope: 

“Rope, rope, hang butcher; 

Butcher won't kill ox.” 

But the rope would not, and the butcher, on 
hearing these words, took to his heels and ran off. 
He wasn't going to be hung, neither was he going 
to kill the ox, so he thought the only way out 
was to run away, which he did, and mighty fast 
at that. 

“Ha, ha!” laughed Puss, Junior, in spite of his 
disappointment. “I never knew a fat butcher 
could run so fast!” 

102 




MORE TROUBLE 



“Nor I,” said the old woman; “nor that ropes 
and sticks and dogs and oxen could be so dis- 
obliging. Why, one would think I was asking 
them to lend me money. I've always heard that 

was the hardest thing to get.” 

« 103 


I 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“We must keep on trying,” said Puss, “for we 
can’t leave Tom Thumb on the stile all night to 
watch the pig. Perhaps this time we will be more 
lucky.” 

Well, just then a rat ran across the road, and 
the old woman asked him to gnaw the rope, 
because the rope wouldn’t hang the butcher. 
But the rat replied: “No, madam! Why should 
I make a hangman out of the rope? I will not!” 
And off he ran to the barn. 


THE WISP OF HAY 


A LTHOUGH everybody had refused to help 
• the old woman get the pig over the stile, 
Puss, Junior, did not give up hope. “Let me 
ask the next person. Perhaps he’ll help, es- 
pecially if he be an animal.” 

“Very well,” said the old woman, and just 
then who should come along but a nice-looking 
pussy cat. 

“Here is my chance,” said Puss, Junior, 
straightening the long, trailing feather on his cap 
and curling his whiskers so as to look as hand- 
some as possible. 

“Cat, cat, kill rat; 

Rat won't gnaw rope; 

Rope won't hang butcher; 

Butcher won’t kill ox; 

Ox won’t drink water; 

Water won’t quench fire; 

Fire won’t burn stick; 

Stick won’t beat dog; 

Dog won’t bite pig; 

Piggy won’t go over the stile, 

And I sha’n’t get home to-night.’* 

“If you will go to yonder cow and fetch me 

a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat,” answered the 

pussy cat, with a lovely smile, 

105 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Do you hear what she says?” asked Puss, 
Junior, turning to the old woman. 

“I do,” said the old woman. “And I will go 
and milk the cow. I have a little saucer in my 
bag. How lucky I am ! ” So away went the old 
woman to the cow. “Cow, cow, give me a 
saucer of milk; cat won’t kill rat unless you do.” 

But the cow said to her, “If you will go to 
yonder haymakers and fetch me a wisp of hay, 
I will give you the milk.” 

So the old woman went to the haymakers and 
said, “Haymakers, give me a wisp of hay; cow 
won’t give me milk; and if I don’t get a wisp 
of hay, so many things won’t happen that I 
shall give up in despair.” 

But the haymakers hardly paused in their 
work. By and by one of them said, “Old 
woman, if you will go to yonder stream and 
fetch us a bucket of water, we’ll give you the 

hay '” 

“Oh, dearie me!” said the poor old woman. 
“I’m very tired.” 

So Puss carried the bucket, but when they 
reached the stream they found the bucket was 
full of holes. 

“Dearie me!” exclaimed the old woman again, 
“what are we going to do?” 

“Never mind,” said Puss, picking up a number 

of pebbles and fitting them carefully into the 

holes. After the bucket was filled with water 

100 



107 



PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


the old woman went back to the haymakers, who 
gave her a wisp of hay. 

And as soon as the cow had eaten it she gave 
the old woman the milk, who filled the saucer 
and gave it to the cat. And as soon as the cat 
had lapped up the milk she began to kill the rat, 
the rat began to gnaw the rope, the rope began 
to hang the butcher, the butcher began to kill 
the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water 
began to quench the fire, the fire began to burn 
the stick, the stick began to beat the dog, the 
dog began to bite the pig, who jumped over the 
stile and went home with the old woman. 


THE FOUR-IN-HAND 


TP at Piccadilly, oh! the coachman takes his stand. 
And when he meets a pretty girl he takes her by the 
hand. 

Whip away forever, oh! drive away so clever, oh! 

All the way to Bristol, oh! he drives his four-in-hand.” 

Then Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb climbed 
up on the big stage coach. Crack! went the 
whip, and away went the horses. Round and 
around went the wheels, bumpty-bumpty, over 
the rough cobbles. 

“Whip away forever, oh! drive away so clever, 
oh!” sang Puss, Junior. “Isn’t it nice to ride 
again! I'm weary walking and my red-topped 
boots are almost threadbare.” 

“So are my shoes,” replied little Tom Thumb. 

Just then a voice cried out, “Stop the coach; 
we want to get on.” Puss looked down and 
saw Little Bo Peep and Red Riding Hood. 
And when they saw him they shouted, “Oh, 
there he is! Our dear Puss in Boots, Junior.” 

“Whoa!” cried the driver, and stopped the big 
coach. In a moment the two little girls were 
aboard, and Puss was kissed and hugged until 
he began to mew. 

“Don’t hug him to death,” said Tom Thumb. 

“Besides, you’re mussing his coat.” 

109 


* 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


Pretty soon the coach stopped again, and there 
stood the old woman who lived in a shoe. All 
her children were with her, and you can imagine 
how crowded the coach was when they all got 
aboard. There were faces at every window, and 
every seat on top was crowded. “Merrily we 
jog along,” and their laughter echoed through 
the streets as they passed from village to village. 

“Let’s stop at the next candy shop and give 
the children a treat,” cried Tom Thumb. So 
the driver kept a sharp lookout, but before they 
came to one the coach stopped again, and there 
stood Simple Simon; Cinderella; Tom, the 
piper’s son and little Jack Horner. 

“We want to go to Bristol, oh! 

We ll stop you with a pistol, oh! 

So don’t say no, but let us go, 

All the way to Bristol.” 

Of course, the good-natured driver couldn’t 

refuse. Oh my, no! So he pulled in the four- 

in-hand, and some of the children sat on each 

other’s laps, and some stood up, and Tom 

Thumb jumped on Puss, Junior’s, shoulder and 

held on to his ear, which made the children laugh. 

And, oh my! it was a merry party! And when 

they were just about to enter the city of Bristol 

they saw Mary and her little lamb. Again the 

coach stopped, but when it came to squeezing 

in the lambkin it was another matter. There 

no 


THE FOUR-IN-HAND 


wasn’t room, that was all there was to it. So 
the little lamb ran along under the coach just 
like a coach dog, and when they reached Bristol 
its wool was so full of dust that it took Mary a 
whole day to wash it. 

“I declare,” cried Mary, “I seem to have a lot 
of trouble with my lamb.” 

“Not as nearly as much as I do with my 
sheep,” answered Bo Peep. “They are always 
losing their tails, although Boy Blue promised 
to look after them while I was away.” 


THE MONSTROUS CROW 


r PWEEDLE-DUM and Tweedle-dee 
* Resolved to have a battle. 

For Tweedle-dum said Tweedle-dee 
Had spoiled his nice new rattle. 

“What are those children fighting over, I 
wonder?” said Puss, Junior, to Tom Thumb. 

“We’ll soon find out,” replied Tom, hurrying 
over to where two small boys were fistcuffing each 
other in great shape. 

“Come, come,” cried Puss, “what means all 
this? Why should two small boys fight? Tell 
me what’s it all about?” 

“Tweedle-dee broke my rattle,” cried one of 
them. 

“I did not,” replied Tweedle-dee. “I only 
rattled it a little too hard.” And then they set 
to work again, pummeling each other with might 
and main. 

Just then flew by a monstrous crow 
As big as a tar barrel. 

Which frightened both the heroes so 
They both forgot their quarrel. 

At the sight of the monstrous crow little Tom 

Thumb crept into Puss, Junior’s, pocket. Puss 

m 



X TONES 

BABCOCK 




PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


had already unsheathed his sword, ready to de- 
fend himself in case the monstrous bird should 
offer battle. But he didn’t. He merely perched 
himself on a near-by tree and looked at our small 
hero. 

“Put away your sword,” cried the crow. “I 
wouldn’t hurt the scarecrow in yonder cornfield! 
Haw, haw! Caw, caw!" And the monstrous crow 
gave a monstrous grin. Indeed, he opened his 
beak so wide that Puss almost saw his tail at the 
other end ! 

Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee stood by with 
mouths and eyes wide open. They were too sur- 
prised to say a word. And perhaps some of my 
little readers would have been so, too, had they 
seen this monstrous crow. His wings were so 
long that they reached clear through to the other 
side of the big apple tree, and his tail feathers 
reached down to the ground, and when he said, 
“Haw, haw! Caw, caw!” all the leaves trembled 
and turned inside out! 

But all this didn't make Puss, Junior, the 
least bit afraid. No, indeed! He stood with 
his trusty sword in his good right paw, ready for 
anything. But nothing happened. The mon- 
strous crow, after a short time, flapped his wings 
and flew away, and as he passed overhead he 
cried out in a hoarse voice: 

“Though I he as black as night. 

You should never take afright; 

114 


THE MONSTROUS CROW 


Though my wings are black and long, 

I could never do you wrong. 

So good-by to you to-day; 

I shall soon be far away. 

There are other birds, you know. 

Uglier than Mr. Crow!” 

But, oh, dear me! Puss and Tom Thumb had 
gone but a short distance when a blackbird sud- 
denly swooped down and carried off little Tom 
Thumb. So swiftly did the bird snatch up the 
little fellow that Puss was hardly aware of what 
had happened until he heard Tom Thumb calling 
for help. The blackbird flew straight for its 
nest near the top of a tall pine tree. Puss 
pulled off his red-topped boots and commenced 
to climb up the trunk to rescue his little friend. 


THE BLACKBIRD 


H E was a good climber and went up the tree 
at a good rate. The blackbird’s nest was 
almost at the top, but Puss was not discouraged. 
“Draw your sword and fight for your life!” he 
called out to little Tom Thumb. 

This was exactly what Tom was doing. But, 
oh, dear me! the bird’s feathers were so thick 
and Tom’s weapon so small that at first the 
blackbird hardly noticed it at all. By and by, 
however, Tom’s thrusts began to tell, and by the 
time he was dropped into the nest the blackbird 
had been stabbed several times. 

The nest was empty, and as soon as Tom stood 
upon his feet he swung his sword in the air 
and cried out, “Away with you, villain of a 
blackbird!” The blackbird perched himself 
on the edge of the nest and regarded Tom most 
curiously. 

“I do not mean to harm you,” he said. “I 
am so lonely up here in my empty house that I 
want some one to talk to. That’s the reason I 
carried you off. I’m no robber, neither am I a 
villain.” Just then Puss, Junior, reached the 
nest, and the blackbird flew over to a limb at a' 
safer distance. 


116 


THE BLACKBIRD 


“You did well to make your escape,” cried 
Puss, “for I would have wrung your cowardly 
neck had I caught you.” 

“Let me explain,” replied the blackbird. 
Puss didn’t wait to listen, but, hastily picking 
up little Tom Thumb, hid him in his pocket. 

“Won't you let me explain?” cried the black- 
bird a . second time. 


“Explain what?” asked Puss, Junior, angrily. 
“I don't see that there is anything to explain. 
I'd like to cut off your head with my trusty 
sword.” 

“You mistake mv intentions,” said the black- 
bird. “I was just telling Tom Thumb that 
the reason I carried him off was because I was 
lonely up here in my empty nest and wanted a 
comrade.” 

“Yes, that was what he was saying,” called 
Tom Thumb from the inside of Puss, Junior's, 
pocket. “But, all the same, I’m glad to be in 
your pocket, dear Puss. Our black friend here 
woidd probably have fed me on worms had you 
not rescued me — and I'm not fond of that sort 
of food.” 

“Wait and hear my storv ! ” cried the blackbird. 

“Not now,” answered Puss, sliding carefully 
down to the ground so as not to spill Tom out 
of his pocket. 


AN EMPTY NEST 


“XJOW won’t you please listen to my story? 

I don’t want you to think so ill of me,” 
begged the blackbird, fluttering down to the 
meadow. 

“Well, go ahead,” cried Puss, Junior. “Now 
that Tom is safe, I suppose we might as well delay 
our journey to hear what you have to say. You 
certainly are persistent enough.” 

“It is not a long story,” commenced the black- 
bird. “For it was only in the early spring that 
I lost my mate. You see, we had just finished 
the nest and were going housekeeping at once, 
when a man with a gun shot Mrs. Blackbird. 
It's very lonesome up there on the top of the 
tree in an empty nest. That's why, when I saw 
little Tom Thumb on your shoulder, I flew down 
and carried him off. I thought he’d make a 
jolly little playfellow.” 

“Well, you don’t seem as black as you’re 
painted,” said Puss, Junior. “But let me give 
you a little advice. Think of the other fellow 
next time before you do your kidnapping.” 

The blackbird looked very sorrowful, so Tom 
got out his harmonica and commenced to play a 

tune. This made everybody feel much happier. 

118 


AN EMPTY NEST 


When the song ended. Puss looked at Tom and 
said: “Shall we ask the blackbird to join us? 
He seems a good old sort of a bird, after all.” 

“By all means,” replied Tom Thumb. “He 
really meant no harm.” 

“Why don’t you join our party?” said Puss, 
turning to the blackbird. “Would you like to 
travel?” 

“Delighted!” cried the blackbird, his eyes 
brightening and his feathers shining with a new 
luster. “I would travel to the North Pole 
with you.” 

“Well, come along,” cried Puss. “We will 
now proceed upon our journey of adventure.” 
And he strode off down the road, followed by the 
blackbird. They had gone but a few steps when 
they heard a dog barking. The sounds seemed 
to come from a small house a short distance off. 

“More trouble,” said Puss. “Whenever I 
hear a dog bark I am sure there is, or there is 
going to be, a fuss.” 

“I'll keep the dog away,” said the blackbird, 
stoutly. “No dog shall harm Puss, Junior.” 

“Thank you,” said Puss, “but I find that I 
can take pretty good care of myself. Not that 
I do not appreciate your kind offer, but Puss, 
Junior, has met many dogs in his travels and 
is still possessor of his trusty sword.” 

9 


STOLEN BARLEY 


B UT no dog molested them, and after a while 
Puss, Junior, Tom Thumb, and the black- 
bird came to a baker s shop. Outside his door 
stood the baker, whip in hand, and a small boy, 
weeping bitterly. 

“What’s the matter? ” asked Puss, Junior. 

“Charley, Charley, stole the barley 
Out of the baker's shop; 

The baker came out and gave him a clout, 

Which made poor Charley hop.” 

# 

Puss, Junior, looked at the big baker’s flushed 
face and little Charley’s tearful eves. 

“Don't strike him again, please,” said Puss. 
The baker dropped his whip on the sidewalk. 
“Perhaps I've whipped him enough,” he said; 
“but it’s a bad boy who steals, and Charley 
certainly stole my barley, for there is the bag 
on the ground just where he let it drop when I 
caught him.” Yes, it certainly was so. The 
bag had broken and the barley was scattered 
over the walk. 

“And it was only last Friday that I sent his 
mother some cakes,” continued the baker, 

“because she was ill and could not bake.” 

120 


STOLEN BARLEY 


She is ill to-day,” sobbed Charley, “and 
Airs. Brown came over to take care of her. But 
we had no barley in the house to make broth, 
neither did we have any money ; that’s the reason 
I took the bag of barley. I didn’t mean to 
steal it.” 

“What!” cried the baker. “Is your good 



mother sick? Take her the barley and tell her 
to pay me when she can.” And he ran into his 
shop and brought out another bag and handed 
it to Charley. 

“You are a kind man,” said Puss, Junior, as 
the small boy ran off to his home. “Have you 

any nice fresh crullers?” 

121 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 

“Yes,” answered the baker. 

In a few minutes Tom Thumb and the black- 
bird had eaten the last crumb. You see, a 
cruller was as big as little Tom. In fact, he 
could crawl through the hole; so he and the 
blackbird were quite content to eat the crumbs! 


BLACK SHEEP 


W E might have known we would see a 
black sheep,” laughed Puss, Junior, as 
he and Tom Thumb and the blackbird came to a 
pasture that bordered the highway. 

“Why?” inquired Tom Thumb, from the 
inside of Puss, Junior’s, pocket, where he had 
hidden himself so as to enjoy a good nap. 

“Because the blackbird is traveling with us,” 
answered Puss. “What can we expect to find 
but black sheep and black cats?” 

The sheep by this time had come up close to the 
fence and stood looking at our three small trav- 
elers with much interest. The blackbird, who 
had perched himself on the top rail, was the first 
to speak. 

“Baa, baa, black sheep, 

Have you any wool?” 

“Yes, sir; yes, sir, 

Three bags full. 

One for my master, 

One for my dame, 

And one for the little boy 
That lives in our lane,” 

answered the black sheep, with a wiggle of his 
tail. 


123 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 

“Do you belong to Little Bo Peep?” asked 
Tom Thumb, looking out of Puss, Junior’s, 
pocket. 

“No, sir. No sir,” answered the black sheep. 

“And I’m sure you’re not Mary’s little lamb,” 
said Puss, Junior, “for I have seen it, and it 
doesn't look anything like you. It's white — its 
fleece is white as snow.” 

“I'm just plain baa, baa, black sheep,” replied 
the sheep. “But have you seen the little boy 
that lives in our lane?” 

“No, I haven't,” replied Puss. 

“Well, he’s just the nicest little boy you ever 
saw,” answered the sheep. “You come along 
with me and I’ll take you to him.” 

So our three small travelers followed the black 
sheep down a shady lane to a small house. In 
the front yard was a little boy playing with his 
toys. 

On seeing the black sheep he ran out of the 
gate, but stopped as soon as he saw Puss, Junior, 
and the blackbird. He didn't see Tom Thumb 
at first, for Tom was in Puss, Junior’s, pocket, 
you remember. 

“Here are some friends of mine, little boy,” 
said the black sheep. “They are all Mother 
Goose people, so you need not be afraid of them.” 

“I'm not,” said the little boy, “only I was 
surprised; I wasn't afraid.” 

“Bravely said, my boy,” said Puss, Junior; 

124 


BLACK SHEEP 

“and, if you wish, I will tell you some of my 
adventures.” 

The little boy clapped his hands, and then they 
all sat down. And in the next story you shall 
hear what Puss said. 


A GOOD GUESS 


“ /^'YNCE upon a time, ’’commenced Puss, Junior, 
after the little boy had seated himself on 
the steps of the piazza, and the blackbird had 
perched himself on the railing, and Tom Thumb 
had crept out of Puss, Junior’s, pocket, and the 
baa, baa, black sheep had lain down on the lawn 
— and I’m glad to say there are no more “ands,” 
for we would never hear Puss, Junior’s, story if 
we kept on at this rate — “a cat went up into a 
garret just to look around, when he saw on the 
floor an old book.” 

“On the cover was a picture of a cat wearing 
red-topped boots. ‘This must be the portrait 
of my father, Puss in Boots,’ he cried, for that 
was the name of the story-book cat!” 

The little boy looked at Puss, Junior’s, red- 
tooped boots and gave a happy little laugh. 
“Aren’t you the cat that went up into the 
garret? ” 

And this time Puss, Junior, laughed. “Yes,” 
he replied; “you have guessed right, my little 
man. I am that cat.” 

“And did you find your father?” asked the 
little boy. 

“I did,” replied Puss, Junior. “I found 

126 


A GOOD GUESS 


him in the castle of my lord of Carabas, and I 
stayed there with him for nearly a year.” 

“And why did you leave?” asked the little 
boy. 

“Oh, I just wanted to see more of the wide, 
wide world,” replied Puss, Junior. 



“And don’t you ever miss your father?” 
asked the little boy. 

“Yes, I do, very often,” replied Puss, Junior, 

purring softly into the little boy’s ear. And then, 

all of a sudden, the little boy saw Tom Thumb 

in Pu ss, Junior’s, pocket. 

127 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“Who are you?” cried the little boy, stretching 
out his hand. 

But Tom had no intention of being picked up 
by a small boy. He had seen kittens picked up 
by their small owners, and he wasn't going to 
run any chances. “I am Tom Thumb,” he 
answered, running off to a safe distance. 

“Come back! Come back!” cried the little 
boy. “I want to play with you. I won't hurt 
you. 

“I don’t want to be played with,” said Tom 
Thumb. “If you'll promise to let me alone I’ll 
come back. But you’ll have to let me alone.” 

Then, Puss, Junior, began to tell more about 
himself, and in the next story you shall hear 
what happened after that. 


i 


ANOTHER STORY 


T ell me another story about yourself,” said 
the little boy, cuddling up to Puss, Junior. 
So Puss, Junior, crossed one leg over the other 
and commenced : 

“One day I met little Red Riding Hood on her 
way to her grandmother’s with a basket of good 
things, which I helped her to carry, and when 
we reached her grandmother's house she asked 
me in. As soon as she told her grandmother that 
I was downstairs in the hall the dear old lady 
asked me to come up to see her. So I ran up the 
stairs and found them both sitting in a cozy 
room. 

“In the bay window was a box of red ger- 
aniums, and just above, hung from a nail in the 
wall, was a bird cage with a pretty yellow canary 
in it. 

“My grandmother has a canary,” said the 

little boy, “but she hasn’t got any geraniums.” 

“I guess there are lots of grandmothers who 

haven't got geraniums,” said Puss. “By and by 

little Red Riding Hood said she must go. So 

we said good-by and started for her house. I had 

a big staff in those days. It was very, very 

strong and I could swing it like everything. 

129 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


Well, after we had gone into the woods for some 
distance, what do you suppose happened?” 

The little boy opened his eyes very wide and 
said, “Did the wolf come?” 

‘‘Yes, he did,” replied Puss, Junior. ‘‘Little 
Red Riding Hood got close to me. She trembled 
and shook, she was so frightened. The big gray 



wolf came closer and closer, and when he got so 
near that I could feel his hot breath I swung my 
trusty staff and hit him a blow on the head. 
‘Run! run!’ I shouted to Red Riding Hood, and 
she ran away like the wind. 

“The wolf was badly stunned by the blow, and 

130 


ANOTHER STORY 


before he could get on his feet I hit him again. 
Then I turned and ran after Red Riding Hood, 
and when I caught up to her we were nearly 
out of the forest and not far from her house.” 

“My!” said the little boy, drawing a long 
breath, “that was brave! Is that why somebody 
gave you a sword? ” 

“Not exactly,” replied Puss, Junior. “My 
Lord of Carabas presented me with this weapon.” 
And Puss unsheathed his sword. “This is much 
better than my old staff, but in those days I 
didn’t know much about swords, so I got along 
very well with what I had.” 

As Puss finished the story the black sheep said, 
“I must go back to the meadow, so I will say 
good-by for the present.” And he trotted off 
up the lane. 

“We must be on our way, too,” said Puss, 
Junior, but the little boy begged so hard for 
another story that Puss sat down again. 


JUST ONE MORE STORY 


“npELL me just one more story,” pleaded the 

A little boy. 

“It’s getting late; we should be on our way,” 
cautioned Tom Thumb. And the blackbird re- 
marked that the day would soon be over; but 
Puss, Junior, couldn’t resist the pleading voice 
of the little boy. 

“One day I met the cow that jumped over the 
moon in a meadow full of cowslips and daisies. 
The cat who played on the fiddle, and the little 
dog who laughed at the sport, and the dish that 
ran away with the spoon were there, too, and 
up in the sky the big yellow moon, although one 
doesn’t often see the moon in the daytime. Well, 
as soon as the cat commenced to play ‘Hey- 
diddle-diddle’ the cow began to prance. And 
after a little practice she gave a tremendous jump. 
Up and up she went in the air until she went clear 
over the moon.” 

“Oh my!” cried the little boy, clasping his 
hands together, “wasn’t that funny? Wasn’t it 
wonderful?” 

“I thought so,” said Puss. “I never really 
understood just how she did do it.” 

“If she had wings it would have been quite 

132 


JUST ONE MORE STORY 



simple,” said the blackbird; “but she didn't, 
did she?” 

“I couldn't see any,” said Puss. “I told her 
that it was a wonderful feat. But she said it 
wasn't feet at all, so perhaps she had wings that 
were invisible.” 


133 


PUSS IN BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB 


“I’ve heard of flying fish, but not flying cows,” 
said Tom Thumb, gravely. 

“I think it was all right,” said the little boy. 
“She was a jumping cow. I guess she was a 
wonderful jumper. Perhaps the moon wasn’t 
very high up.” 

“Well, no, it wasn’t,” said Puss, Junior, 
thoughtfully. “Now that I come to think of it, 
the moon hung pretty low, for I heard the man 
in the moon call out as she came close to him, 
‘Look out, and don't clip off a piece with your 
hoofs,’ and if it had been very high up I never 
could have heard his voice, I’m sure.” 

“I wish I’d been there,” said the little boy. 
“What wonderful things you have seen, dear 
Puss.” 

“Yes, I suppose I have,'’ he answered; “but, 
you know, you get so used to strange sights and 
strange people that you don't wonder so much 
after a while. You get worldly, my boy.” And 
Puss, Junior, curled his whiskers gracefully up 
at the ends. 

And some day, in another book, Puss, Junior, 
will relate more of his adventures. 


THE END 






